When we went shopping together, at the checkout counter Ira would say: “Katya, now I’ll help you, I’ll put everything in bags while you pay.” After that she would go to the groceries that were already punched in and lay out the items while I handed the money.
As soon as we paid at the cafe, she would “borrow” money from me, but she had no intention of giving it back. I always ordered everything I wanted. She got more money than I did. She didn’t deny herself anything or try to save money.
I no longer went shopping with her and did not ask her to take me to a cafe. However, totally unaware of the consequences, we went on vacation to Turkey with her. My husband and I and she. The behavior of the friend was just unceremonious. She counted our money in common and went at our expense to the bath, massages and tastings. She was constantly puffed up, but she was very cheerful and flirted with my husband:
“Pasha, it’s great that you were able to go with us. It’s good to have such a reliable and responsible man by your side. Lucky Katya! You get a good salary now. It’s a job you have to hold on to. And I just can’t find anything good. It became clear to me that she had already asked my husband about his salary. The final straw was the story about our room and the drinks in it. We were at the beach in the evening. Ira said she had to go to her room and at the same time said she had forgotten her sunglasses in our room and asked for the keys.
We went back to the hotel, we knocked on her room, but no one answered. We went into our room and there Ira was drinking expensive paid drinks out of our locker. I was very angry and could not express my outrage. Without a shadow of embarrassment she said that she decided to wait for us here and already bored. She suggested the three of us sit together, because we were leaving soon.
We barely managed to get her out of the house. My husband asked in bewilderment: “What was that all about?” We agreed that we would teach her a lesson. The next night we went to a fancy restaurant. I sat at a table with her, and her husband went to the waiter and warned that we would have to split the bill. Then we had a fun time, laughing, and my husband kept rejoicing over his nice paycheck. Our order was pretty modest, and Ira was picking out everything the most expensive. I think she made thirty thousand.
The prices in the restaurant are enormous. It was so funny to watch her facial expression and demeanor when the waiter brought two bills. This was not part of her plan. But it finally dawned on her that she can no longer vacation at our expense.
When we returned from the resort, she tried not to talk to us. Then we stopped talking altogether. This lesson will be remembered for a long time.
