Evista problems. Evista….

Perfect example: I’m in a valley in my own life. I have some friends who are fairly well off and have given me one of their gas cards. I make a distinct point to use it very, very sparingly. They have placed their trust in me and, as a true friend, I choose, on my own, to not betray that trust.

You give them the opportunity because you care about them, not as a test. Their own actions after that will speak eloquently enough.

When you give someone an opportunity to betray you and then hide and watch while they do it, not only do I see that as a kind of entrapment, I also see that as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Or at least that’s how I see it.

I once had a friend who left money out on a table in front of another friend whom we all knew had fallen on extremely hard times. Then he left the guy sitting in there, staring at the money…all alone for 20 minutes. And when the guy stole some of the money I was disappointed in him, but I was more disappointed in the man who toyed with a so called pal in that manner. We are supposed to pick up our friends, not psychologically manipulate them…right?

If you “give them enough rope to hang themselves” and they choose to be honorable (or honest, or loyal, or whatever you choose to call it), you know they are deserving.

It is not a “sting operation,” as you so eloquently put it; it is an observation of another person’s true colors, revealed by his or her decisions and deeds.

And now I am thinking of that new anti-tobacco commercial…the one with the rat and the nicotine feeder? Maaaaaaan, that ad gives me the creeps.