Tell me, am I being petty???

[skypilot]

A couple months ago I met a guy at my favorite watering hole. We just struck up a conversation and he seemed like a nice enough guy. I bought him a beer, we played pool, talked, etc. He has become a regular at this particular bar and on a couple other occasions I've bought him a beer. He is a college student and always claims to be broke or near broke. When the new Texas Chainsaw Massacre was released I asked him if he wanted to go and he said yes. On the day we were to go see the film he started making noises about how the cost of the movie was going to eat into his beer money. I offered to pay for the movie if he'd pay for the bus fare to the theater. I know what it's like to be young and broke. The thing that started to bother me is that this guy has NEVER ONCE offered to buy me a beer. I drink Budweisers and they cost a mere $1.75 a bottle at the place where I usually drink. Despite this guy's claims of student poverty he is always out drinking, playing pool, and claiming that he is down to his last five dollars. Of course, he will be out the next night doing and claiming the same thing. One night he tells me about a bar he hung out in when he lived in Colorado and how he liked it so much because it attracted a lot of transients so that he was always meeting new people. He said that it was a great place and that people were always buying HIM drinks. I'd been getting a bit wary of this guy already and when he told me this my picture of him sort of crystallized. I don't need this guy to buy beers for me but it just seems that after two months he'd have offered at least once. I thought we were becoming friends but there is a certain sense of reciprocity in a developing or established friendship that I feel is lacking with this guy. Am I being petty or is this guy a mooch?

[truthspeaker]

1. he's a mooch

stop subsidizing him.

[skypilot]

4. I stopped buying drinks for him about a month ago.

I think he's noticed.

[Another Bill C.]

2. This guy is a mooch.

There's not much to say for him.

[LittleApple81]

3. Dump the "friend." He is a people user. Part of the half that lives

off the other half.

[Loonman]

5. Tool alert

Guy sounds like a toolbox.

[dofus]

6. You are not being petty.

He's taking advantage of you.

[skypilot]

8. Taking advantage of me

Well, not anymore. I don't spring for him anymore and have pretty much lost any desire to even talk to him. It will be interesting to see who he latches onto next.

[rucky]

7. Total mooch

if he were as broke as he says he is, what's he doing drinking out - or even hanging around - a bar?

That's what Milwaukee's Best and a front porch is for.

[Skittles]

9. YOUR FRIEND IS A CHEAP F***

YOU SHOULD KICK HIS ASS

[dreissig]

10. Not Necessarily

Sounds like you've latched on to a pretty boy, and it's going to cost you some money. He's got what you want; you've got what he wants. Live a little! Yes, you're paying for it. What else is new?

[skypilot]

13. Huh?

He's got what I want? No, I think you're fleshing this story out a little too much. There is no sexual attraction on either end. I'm not a coy person. If there were any attraction I'd be the first to admit it.

[HEyHEY]

11. MAAAOOOOOCHH!

Big time

[Rowdyboy]

12. Too bad

Its a bitch to invest time and money cultivating a friend only to discover he's a jerk. Cut your losses.

Now if he really was a broke college student, and couldn't afford to be out every night, I might have a different attitude. Friends carried me through some tough financial years but every chance I got, I paid them back. When I had beer, liquor or other "party material", I shared freely with them. We're still friends 30 years later.

[HEyHEY]

14. yeah I know what you mean

Currently I am in the poorhouse. But when friends call to do something I always find some excuse not to go because I am broke. My real close friends who know my situation will be bold and say "Come on I'll get ya"

So I'm lucky ot have good friends. But when I'm in the money again I'll be buying many rounds. :-)

[Wickerman]

15. You're being smart

he is being a mooooch. like others have said, cut your losses and chock it up to experience. Buying drinks is ok on occassion, but ya can't always play if you can't cough up the change. Some nights you stay home so when yo do go out you can carry your own wieght. Don't look back.

[skypilot]

17. "Some nights you stay home..."

Yeah exactly. If he stayed home one night he'd save more that enough to cover the cost of a $1.75 beer. I joked with a co-worker that you could put aside 25 cents a day and have the money to buy a friend a beer at this place. I guess it was too much of a strain for him.

[THUNDER HANDS]

16. no...this guy is being petty