Our annual trip with the girls took a strange turn when my friends didn’t pay back the $2,000 cabin fee. Their reasons included things like needing to fix their car or paying for school. This made me angry, and I was determined to teach them a lesson.
The beautiful lake cabin looked like the right place to stay, but their broken promises and radio silence made them come up with a plan. I claimed to be excited in a group text while planning my answer behind their backs.
I brought drinks and food to the house the night before our trip, but “forgot” the keys and garage door opener. When my friends got there, the cabin was locked, and they started texting and calling each other frantically.
I calmly replied that I would come back, but only after getting paid. Within an hour, a lot of messages came in from PayPal, Zelle, and Venmo.
Some said sorry as I opened the door, while others smiled sheepishly. There were uncomfortable moments over the weekend, but in the end, we had fun kayaking, roasting marshmallows, and talking about other people.
Respect and apologies were shown again at the end of the trip. Mary and Brittany admitted they were wrong, which made our bonds stronger. Standing up for yourself can take toughness and determination at times.
