Sorry Paul
As a student, I had a job in Uncle Sam's Hamburger Express in West Street, Brighton. I worked for a while with another guy, Paul, who was from Haywards Heath, and had been transferred down to Brighton for the busy Christmas/New Year period.

I was constantly short of time and cash, trying to work full time there and study full time at (what was then) Brighton Poly (Pharmacy, which was 35 hours a week at college, plus study time). I shared in a grotty, woodlouse-infested shithole of a ground floor flat in Whitehawk Road, and could barely afford that.

My dad died that January, so I had to go home for the funeral etc., for about three weeks in the end. Three weeks of not working. I was already overdrawn, and poor old Paul took pity on my sob story and lent me £50 so I could make that month's rent; this was 1989 so that was a lot more than one night's beer money, even for Brighton.

Paul got transferred back to his home store in HH in about March, and I struggled through the rest of the year, flunked my degree and went home permanently with what was at the time a ludicrously high overdraft (about £1500 - barely a term's student loan by the standards or not very much later, and bugger all these days). By the time I was in a position to be able to pay Paul back, I had completely lost touch with him.

Then last year I got back in touch with another ex-Sammer on Facebook, who worked with Paul at the time. Apparently, lending me £50 put him on the breadline himself, and about six months later he lost his flat because he'd fallen behind on his own rent, and slept on the streets for a while. Neither of us knew what happened to him after that.

It could have been a wind-up on FB, but I have the horrible sense that my Good Samaritan put himself on the streets so I wouldn't have to be there. Thanks Paul. If you ever read this, get in touch; I wouldn't say I'm flush, but I can certainly afford to pay you back with interest.
( shinyshinyscalp less a man, more a way of life, Thu 18 Oct 2012, 13:41, 6 replies)

I tell a lie, he was from Burgess Hill

( shinyshinyscalp less a man, more a way of life, Thu 18 Oct 2012, 13:45, closed)

I'm Paul from Burgess Hill
£50 at wonga.com's representative APR of 4214% means you now owe me £48461
Please enter your credit card details below, thanks for giving me the opportunity to get reimbursed after all these years. Live has been hard on the streets, but I'm sure you'll find that out for yourself.
(Figmaus, Thu 18 Oct 2012, 14:57, closed)

What did Paul looklike?
I might not be him, but give me the fifty and I'll certainly pass it on.
( monster munch person, man, woman... camera... TV?, Thu 18 Oct 2012, 16:08, closed)

Your story has touched me.
Send me twenty five quid and I'll match it and give the fifty to Paul when I see him. Ignore the people trying to scam you.
(ubergeekian, Thu 18 Oct 2012, 19:42, closed)

He's probably died on the streets as a direct result of you actions. Kill yourself immediately in recompense.

( Fucking hell Jeff I am not a robot, Thu 18 Oct 2012, 22:55, closed)

Hmm.
I probably should have anticipated the nature of these replies.

However, my guilty conscience is such that I have transferred £1000 to each of you. Please check your bank accounts.

Of course, it may bounce...
( shinyshinyscalp less a man, more a way of life, Fri 19 Oct 2012, 15:01, closed)