He owes me $150 and just bought new sneakers: do I ask?
Editors' DilemmaOctober 28, 2026· Be the first to vote
A story made up by our editors to get the debate going, not a real account.
My side
Six months ago, a friend asked me to spot him $150 to fix his car. He needed it to get to work, so I sent it on Zelle that same night. He said: “I’ll pay you back as soon as I can.” Since then, nothing. I didn’t bring it up, to be tactful. Then he showed up to a dinner in brand-new sneakers, a limited edition he’d been waiting on forever. He showed them off to everyone: $180. That night, I texted him, not aggressive at all: “Love the new kicks! Think you can pay me back soon?” He said I was keeping tabs on his spending, and that it’s just not something you do.
Their side
My friend explains that he never gave me a date, and that he was planning to pay me back with his year-end bonus. He paid for the sneakers by setting money aside little by little, long before the car broke down. According to him, linking his purchase to his debt treats him like a deadbeat, when he never said he wouldn’t pay me back. He thinks I could have just asked for a timeline.
So, who's wrong?
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