New economic principles

I don't even know where to start here.  There were two recent deviations from normative economic protocol.  The first was simple, so I'll start there.  I went to a Shell gas stations for a few provisions.  The dude at the counter scanned my stuff and left it on the counter.  I asked if I could have a bag with that.  He told me it was five cents for a bag.  That's it.  That's all that happened.  But are you kidding me?  Charging me for a bag dude?  I know Seattle takes the environment seriously, but wow.  Kinda thought it was optional to bring a canvas bag for your groceries.  But whatever.

The really fun thing was a little different.  One of the guys who was here (who is the same guy who would just walk up and talk at me about nothing for ever) yesterday to get his stuff out of his room.  I'd loaned the guy some money and bought a couple meals for him because his auto pay wasn't set up and he didn't have a bank account for them to auto pay it to.  No biggie.  Just wanted him to get his account set up so he could get his program together.

Anyway, a couple days after that he got some stuff in his eye and went to the doctor.  Then he complained about some extra symptoms.  To me.  Not the chief or office.  Bottom line is the guy disappeared for three weeks.  Then he texted me when he was coming back and said we would square up.  I told him that I would be sleeping and to leave it on the bunk next to mine.  So far so good, right?

Well, I woke up when he came in with that stupid ass look on his face.  He said, "Hey, uh, man, your stuff is up here and I gave you some groceries too.  And I left you something special."  So I woke up a little and asked, "What's so special?"  He said, "I brought you some real shit."  A ridiculous back and forth ensued.  He was beating around the bush miserably.  Finally I got it out of him, "Some weed man."  Like he's doing me a favor.

I asked, "Are you fucking kidding me?  What am I gonna do with that?  Besides throw it overboard?"  And he defended it, arguing with me about how good it was that he brought me drugs on a boat that the Coast Guard might search.  And for a company that tests randomly.  It's a real wonder the guy got canned.  So I told him to take his weed.  He said he'd see me in a minute.  I didn't know why.

When I got up a few minutes later and noticed a mere ten dollars I assumed he was getting more money for me.  Nope.  Guy just left.  Are you kidding me with this?  Just showing up with weed like it's currency?  Why not bring a roll of twine?  Or how about twenty dollars worth of socks?  And the groceries?  Ya it was two six packs of Top Ramen and a zip lock baggy with some q tips.  Literally the most valuable thing he left me.

The nerve right?  I would have rather he told me he didn't have the money.  Or, sometime before he got here he could have mentioned his creative solutions to the problem of owing me money.  I really resent him showing up with a random assortment of crap and acting like he just hooked me up.  That stupid look on his face, all self satisfied that he was giving me ten dollars in cash,  some welfare groceries, a sweater that was too small, and a gram of weed.  True that's a diversified portfolio, but I'm not in the market.

So that's that.  Getting charged for grocery bags and whimsical payment plans.  I'm actually getting kind of upset thinking about it.  It's not the money.  Trust me.  I waste 25 dollars without batting an eye.  But I don't like being taken advantage of.  It just makes the irritating portion of his persona that much more irritating.  I didn't mention it out of irritation though.  It's just that being in the presence of two new bartering paradigms within twenty four hours compelled me to share.  Nothing will surprise me ever again.