i was in the Navy and back in '64 as a very green 16yo I joined my first ship. On the first morning I was alone in the messdeck putting away my kit when a stoker came up from the boiler room and asked me to lend him 25 cents for the soft-drink machine. He said he would pay me back when he came off watch. Well - he never did, and I went on to learn that Joe was a gambler and not well liked as he owed money to just about everyone.
Six years later I was in a sailors pub in Sydney. I had gone to the greyhound races with some mates, first time ever, and had fluked a good win.
Joe came into the pub and I could see him moving from group to group as they shook their heads. Obviously he was trying to borrow money.
He got to my group with the story that he needed $600 to pay back rent or the bailiff was going to evict Joe & wife from their flat the next day. That was a lot of money in 1970 and none of the boys had more than $40 or so on them. I piped up and said I had more than $600 and flourished it in front of him.
He thought he was saved, saying, lend it to me and I'll pay you back next week.
I took great delight in replying that, if he couldn't pay back 25 cents from 6 years prior what hope did I have of getting back $600 ?
The next day one of the crew who lived just past Joe's came to work and reported that Joe and his wife were sitting with all their furniture on the footpath.
Revenge - let me tell you, is bloody beautiful.

JG / FME