Sometimes, just a good deed by being a helping hand to someone can be good enough to make connections.

Some people would be petty enough to ruin that for money!

Let’s find out where this story goes with an unexpected invoice.

You want that invoice paid?

So for starters, I live in a small village where pretty much everyone knows who’s who.

I like it a lot.

It gives me a sense of security that I feel is underrated in todays society. Friends and neighbors help each other with moving, remodeling etc.

He wanted to do her a favor.

My mother in law wanted to have her driveway redone. Being the good son that I am, I ordered supplies and got some friends and family members to come and help out on a Saturday, after which there would be some nice cold beers.

This is before corona obviously.

John wasn’t the best choice…

One of my friends – let’s call him John – is more of an outlier and doesn’t get around too much. He’s a bit timid, but otherwise a very nice guy.

I thought it would be a nice idea to include John in the working party, so he would get to know some more folks from the village.

With the work done and the driveway finished we thanked everyone that helped for the much appreciated effort.

Not too soon afterwards, I receive a letter.

He wasn’t there to help…

It was an invoice sent by John for the hours he worked, multiplied by a not too shabby hourly rate. To say I was dumbfounded would be an understatement.

It is well known that this kind of work is for free; you scratch my back, I scratch yours.

Or so I thought.

I come by John’s a few days later to ask him what the invoice is all about. He says it’s no big deal and that he has done it before.

John had a point.

He can’t be expected to give up his Saturday to work on somebody else’s driveway. He says he thinks this is fair and that he wants to be open about it.

I soon understand that John isn’t going to change his mind and I don’t want to get into an argument with him.

I pay John myself because I am rather embarrassed to tell my MIL.

Here comes the malicious compliance.

A few weeks later we are at a get together where John happens to be too.

A friend who had also helped says he is thinking of redoing his driveway as well and asks what the costs were.

My mother in law sums up the different supplies and their costs, as well as the beers of course. John is within hearing distance and I see him glance over.

Now is my time.

He took his chance!

I raise my voice a little and I say: “Aren’t you forgetting the labor costs?”

She looks at me surprised and I add: “Yeah, you know. John’s invoice of X amount, that racks up the bill.”

An uncomfortable silence descends upon the party as people frown and look at me and John, whose stature shrivels under the weight of those looks.

That must have been something!

Suffice to say John had some explaining to do, but he didn’t look so sure anymore.

He wanted to be open about it right?

John was shocked!

Under the circumstances I must say the invoice was money well spent, although I lost a friend that day.

Yikes! John shouldn’t have asked for his money like that!

Let’s find out what the Reddit community thinks of this invoice.

This person describes the type of people when it comes to favors.

This person shares his experience with a greedy friend.

This person wanted John to make things clear before signing up for the task.

This person brings back literature.

This commentator gives an easy way to dodge the bullet.

Guess John lost some helpers when he might need it!

But that’s okay, he can always hire!

If you thought that was an interesting story, check out what happened when a family gave their in-laws a free place to stay in exchange for babysitting, but things changed when they don’t hold up their end of the bargain.