Neither a lender nor a borrower be..

[Bill Greene]

What I have observed over the years is that if someone wants to borrow something it is because they don't place enough value on that item to actually buy one for themself. That automatically means that they value the item less than you do and will act accordingly. That also implies that they only value your friendship to the extent that they can take advantage of you so the only question is which do you prefer - losing their friendship and the item when the item is lost or damaged or just the friendship when you refuse to lend the item out?

Sage advice.

 

[johnnycanuck]

If I lend something out, I never expect to see it again. If I do see it again it will most likely be broken.

With that said, letting someone else wear your hat? If she was hot and I was single - maybe. If my kids wanted to wear one of my hats - yes. If my father in law wanted to borrow one - no, but he knows better.

But as a rule...NEVER.

Johnny

 

[carouselvic]

George Washington

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/290836

 

[Aureliano]

I don't know that a person is stupid to lend a book, but it's probably foolish to think he'll ever see it again. Such has been my experience, anyway.

It's akin to what I've heard said are the two rules about co-signing on a loan:

1.) Don't do it;
2.) But if you do it anyway, be prepared to pay back the loan in its entirety -- interest, principal, fees, etc.

Maybe the word stupid, used by Garcia Marquez, was a bit excesive. Yet--and coincidentially--I once lent a cousin my only copy, first edition, of One Hundred Years of Solitude. Told him how important it was for me, blah blah etc. The book was mint when it left my library. It came back, a year and a half later after I went to his house to pick it up. It had bent corners (do me a favor, use a bookmark, would you?:rage: ) margin notes written in pen:rage: the spine clothboud was falling apart and some imbecile friend of my cousin had painted sunglasses on Garcia Marquez's portrait in the dust jacket.

I felt stupid for lending the book. [huh]

 

[Mike in Seattle]

Would you, have you, or could you ever lend one of your "collection" hats to a friend or relative? Your special favorite hat, that one you never wear because it is a vintage gem?

My father-in-law wants to borrow my Rogers Peet collapsing top hat for some event 2000 miles away. He wants to have it as he is meeting someone important.

First, depends how close you are with your father-in-law, and if you can trust him to take good care of the hat. First impulse in reading was "no" but then...parents-in-law are different because you not only risk having them angry with you, but also the spouse.

Second, does he wear the same size hat? Also - whoever it is that he's meeting - would a top hat be proper to wear for said meeting, or is it going to make him look like a buffoon. (IE, if he's going to Ascot and meeting the queen, it would work. If he's going to Branson to meet Willie Nelson...uh, no.)

 

[laotou]

Horror Story Update

I just heard from my niece, she bought a pristine 1920s bowler on ebay today and a hat box from the same era (not the one with the hat) it looks to be a much nicer hat than the one she lost. I feel much better now.:eusa_clap

 

[Chinaski]

I feel better, too! That (partially) restores my faith in mankind.

 

[Anders]

I once lent a hat to a friend for a Halloween costume, and he immediately snatched it up and jammed it on his head sideways, in such a manner that the whole thing warped horribly out of proportion. I was immensely glad I had decided to give him one of my cheaper hats, and now that's the only one I'll let folks borrow.

It happens a lot in a university film department, someone is always making a period picture...

 

[CRH]

http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/290836

Now, Vic, Sir, I'd never ask to borrow a book from you but I sure would be interested in borrowing one of your fine Panama's to wear for my wife's birthday dinner because apparently she will be wearing mine. :eusa_doh:

So, anyway, I'd be happy to leave my weapon as collateral. What do you think?

 

[carouselvic]

I'll think on that.

 

[CRH]

I'll think on that.

I promise not to spill any wine on it. Can't make any guarantees about the champagne though.



:whistling

 

[BaggyPants]

I'm afraid that I have been let down by people borrowing things in the past. I will no longer lend anything I treasure, or anything of worth, to anyone, with a couple of very responsible and trustworthy exceptions, full stop. When anyone asks if they can play one of my guitars, they are asked if I can hold £2000 of their cash in my hand while they do, to pay for any replacement or repairs if damage is caused. No one has agreed to it yet, so my guitars remain unmolested. It may sound prissy, but I fork out my hard earned cash for nice guitars and some mook banging the headstock against a wall, or dropping the thing on the floor, or forgetting to remove their watch or rings before playing them will put me in a bad, bad mood.

 

[jporgeck]

Been my experience that "No good deed goes unpunished."