The long and short about The Money-Pinching Miser

I was about to tuck into my steaming hot bowl of maggi mee the other night when I was interrupted by a phone call.


Me: Hello?

Acquaintance Whom I’ve Not Heard From In Years: Hello?

Me: Hello?

A: Hello, Sibeh Sian right?

Me: Ah-huh?

A: This is A, are you free to talk now?

Me: Actually, I was just about to have dinner leh. . . .

A: I need to ask a favor from you.

Me: Eh, ah-huh?

A: Can I borrow some money from you?

Me: Eh. . . . I just started working a few months back and I’m servicing my study loan leh. . . .

A: Since you started working already you should have some savings right?

Me: Yah, but I’m saving it for a rainy day. . . .

A: (Silence)

Me: . . . . How much do you need?

A: Depends on how much you trust me.

Me: . . . . I think I’m not very comfortable with this.

A: You don’t trust me?

A: Nevermind.


Maybe it’s just me, but I find it hard to trust someone whom I hardly spoke to in uni with my money, especially when he didn’t even bother to explain how he will be using my money. Given a choice being viewed as a heartless miser or getting taken for a ride, I would choose the former any day.

And to be honest, I am a money-pinching miser lah.

With Love,
Sibeh Sian