What's the Ethical Thing to Do?

About a year ago a roomate of a friend of mine was about to take off to Costa Rica for a year. He didn’t have anywhere to keep his belongings and I needed a bed so I offered to but the bed off of him. He told me he would get back to me on how much he wanted for the bed but never did and left for Costa Rica.

I’ve now had the bed for the past year. About two weeks ago he shows up out of nowhere on my doorstep and wants his bed back. I tell him I had given it to an ex-girlfriend and that it would take me a few days to get it back because I wasn’t prepared to give it to him right away.

Today I told him he could come pick it up and I left it outside my house. He came by and apparently he decided that’s not the bed he left behind and didn’t take it. This kid is really starting to get on my nerves. I pretty sure by law he has absolutely no right to that bad having abandoned it when he left for Costa Rica. The thing is, I don’t care. I think giving it back is the right things to do. Now he won’t fucking leave me alone.

What should I do from here? Aside from a violent approach. I could absolutely tear this guy’s head off if I wanted to. I’m fairly certain my girlfriend could for that matter.

If you offered to keep his belongings, and the bed is part of his belongings, then he did not abandon it, and you should not have taken it.

Try being honest.

Tell him what you did and offer to buy it.

I have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s his bed. Give it back to him. If you were watching his children would you steal them too?

You tried giving him back the bed. That was the ethical thing to do. He is now saying that the bed you tried giving him was not the same bed. Is this true?

If not, then you have discharged your ethical obligations. You tried to return something to him without regards to whether you were legally or ethically required. You tried doing the right thing.

If he insists that this is not his bed, you can do one of two things. First, tell him to screw off and never call you again. Second, ask him how much his bed was worth. Once he tells you this (assuming you agree with him, pay the boy.

You did the ethical thing in trying to give him back his bed. He said that’s not his bed, and didn’t take it, that’s his fault, not yours.

As CLaw said, you’ve discharged your ethical obligations. You did your part.

Tell him you will leave it outside until he comes and gets it. If it rains, it rains.

Where did this bizarre thread template come from?

“Here’s a minor predicament I’ve found. Here’s the manifestly obvious solution I’ve found. Should I use it or cast better judgment to the wind and just kick the offender’s ass because I’m such a fucking T-Man?”

You know what to do.

The ethical way to settle a dispute over a bed has always been a pillow fight.

[quote]pookie wrote:
The ethical way to settle a dispute over a bed has always been a pillow fight.
[/quote]

Don’t encourage JillyBop to provide us with illustrations, pookie.

[quote]nephorm wrote:
pookie wrote:
The ethical way to settle a dispute over a bed has always been a pillow fight.

Don’t encourage JillyBop to provide us with illustrations, pookie.[/quote]

Pillow fights between narrow-waisted, large-titted nympho lesbians, OF COURSE.

Do I have to state the OBVIOUS in every post now?

Sheesh.

I think it is obvious he wants to get back together with you and share the bed just like old times.

You should never have mentioned the ex-girlfriend because now he will think you are available.

You should probably tell him you have a raging case of herpes so he will leave you alone.

[quote]pookie wrote:
nephorm wrote:
pookie wrote:
The ethical way to settle a dispute over a bed has always been a pillow fight.

Don’t encourage JillyBop to provide us with illustrations, pookie.

Pillow fights between narrow-waisted, large-titted nympho lesbians, OF COURSE.

Do I have to state the OBVIOUS in every post now?

Sheesh.
[/quote]

Ever since those threads…
it is a different world.

[quote]pookie wrote:

Pillow fights between narrow-waisted, large-titted nympho lesbians, OF COURSE.
[/quote]

NOT ALWAYS.

From experince never store personal items for friends, it never turns out good and ALWAYS ends up being a headache, and can ruin friend ships over dumb stuff. Been down that road a few times…

The bed I tried to giving back to him IS his bed. He says it isn’t and refused to take it. He was never a friend. He was a friend of a friend. It seems like most of you feel I’ve done my part. Thanks for the input.

[quote]EmilyQ wrote:
pookie wrote:

Pillow fights between narrow-waisted, large-titted nympho lesbians, OF COURSE.

NOT ALWAYS.[/quote]

Ok, I forgot the fights between narrow-waisted, large-titted nympho STRAIGHT girls, but those are rarer.

THAT COVERS IT. YES IT DOES.

Give him some cash. If he goes crazy, you got perfect Judge Joe Brown material there.