We assume that we can trust our so-called friends, and yet, in my lifetime, although I've only been conned twice, both times it was big money and both times by so called friends. The first was a friend who'd been scammed by Nigerians who had robbed him of his life savings despite our warnings that it was a scam. I was left with the choice of letting him and his family be thrown onto the streets to starve or lending him money to restart his life. Sadly he's one of life's losers and will never be able to pay me back but he probably would if he could, but he at least remains in regular contact with me and has paid me back some money, albeit only a small fraction of what he owes.

The other is an Anglo-Argentinian 'Walter Mitty' type who lived and worked on the CdA for some years. Smooth, polished, good looking and cultured, he made crooks like Andrew Gradon look like the petty amateurs they are. Nigel abused our trust and friendship and I lent him money, against my better judgement, so that he could consolidate a number of debts which he had foolishly run up with his taste for fast cars and women. I doubt very much if he ever has any intention of paying it back but I have taken steps to make life difficult for him in the country to which he ran away and hid and now resides with yet another woman (number 5 or 6 or 7) who will doubtless find her life destroyed by this heartless smooth talking devious con man. He has ducked and dived and turned his back on the people whose friendship he abused while he was here.
 
He has tried every possible tactic to avoid those to whom he owes money and I often wonder how people like this can sleep at night, in fact I hope his sleep is troubled and restless and that he feels he has to look over his shoulder all the time when he shows his face in public.
 
Nigel, if I ever get the opportunity to kick you where it hurts, or to make it happen, I shall enjoy doing so. If you ever read this, you'll no doubt think I'm referring to someone else, and I bet you won't have the spine to contact me.