The list

Recently, we needed to fund raise for a medical emergency as a family. A committee was formed and came up with an ingenious way to raise the money.

They drew a list.

The list contained our names and target amounts. I am not sure of the criteria used to assign the targets, but against my name, was an amount twice as high as I what I could afford to give. Worse still I was sandwiched between other names with the same target amount and little checks at end indicating they had paid.

I blew a casket and sent out a scathing rebuke, after all donations should be voluntary.

Now, before you judge me, this is why I got angry…

The list threw me into a dilemma.

• If I sent nothing they would cross out my whole name and target. A BIG SHAME!
• If I sent less money, then they would have to strike out the amount on the list and put in the new LOWER value surrounded by bigger contributions. I would lose face.
• But If I sent the amount indicated, then I have to eat ‘Air burgers’ for the rest of the month because I would be broke.

Since air burgers are not tasty or filling, I decided to embrace the shame but use the opportunity to ensure that I never appear on a list again, hence my scathing rebuke.

The counter-rebuke however, was worse.

I paid up.

In hindsight maybe I could have handled it better. Maybe I should have been glad that they held me in such high esteem because now I have no money and plenty of shame.

The lesson: Know when to cut your losses