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This time, Mr. Grady was practically in tears.
Depressed Man | Source: Pexels
“I’ll give you your full security deposit back and give you an extra $200 for the inconvenience,” he offered. “Come back as soon as you can and give me those coins. If you don’t, I’ll lose a great deal.”
I pretended to hesitate. “Okay, I’ll meet you at the apartment,” I said.
When I arrived, Mr. Grady was eagerly waiting for me. I had a box with all the coins in it, but I made sure he gave me the money first. He looked relieved as he took the box from me.
Man Holding Cash | Source: Pexels
“Thanks, Paige,” he said as he opened the box. But as soon as he saw the contents, his face fell.
“That’s not all!” he exclaimed. “Where are the power cords?”
I shrugged. “Oh, I must have misplaced them. I’ll have to look for them. Maybe in a week or two?”
“You can’t do that!” Mr. Grady’s face turned red with frustration.
A Serious-Looking Older Man | Source: Pexels
I looked him straight in the eye. “Remember, Mr. Grady, you tried to take my stuff first. Consider this a lesson from a ‘stupid waitress’ on respecting other people’s property.”
He stood there, speechless, as I turned and walked out, feeling victorious. Mr. Grady was going to have to scramble to replace the parts, which would cost him more than if he had just let me take my devices.
He had learned his lesson. But that wasn’t all.
A young woman holding a folder | Source: Pexels
Later that night, I met with Kevin to thank him. We spent the evening reminiscing about the whole thing, laughing at the absurdity of Mr. Grady’s actions.
“But he really thought he could keep your devices?” Kevin said, shaking his head.
“I know, it’s crazy, right?” I replied. “It feels good to have stood up to him and won.”
Kevin nodded. “Well, you did great. Here’s to your new apartment and the end of Mr. Grady!” »
We clinked glasses and toasted to a new beginning, feeling triumphant and ready to face what was to come.
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