When my female classmate asked me if she could borrow some money to buy a branded bag, I couldn’t believe my ears. Not only did I think it was an outrageous request, but I also found it quite presumptuous of her to think I had the kind of money she was asking for.
I remember feeling so angry and frustrated that I said something I regret: “I told her to bend over”.
It was a ridiculous thing to say, and I instantly regretted it. I was so embarrassed that I had spoken without thinking and that my words had been interpreted as an insult. I had seen her as a friend and had no intention of hurting her feelings. In the heat of the moment, I had said something without considering the implications of my words.
The situation was made worse by the fact that I had no intention of lending her any money. If I had been asked for a loan for a practical purpose, such as paying rent or buying groceries, I would have done my best to help her.
But asking for money to buy a branded bag was something else entirely. It felt like she was taking advantage of our friendship, and I didn’t want to be taken advantage of.
I knew that she was deeply hurt by my words, and I wanted to apologize to her. I tried to explain to her that I was just angry and frustrated, and I wanted to make it clear that I didn’t mean to insult her. I also told her that I would never have said such a thing if I knew it would hurt her.
In the end, she accepted my apology and we were able to forgive each other.