Well!
How wrong could I be?
The following Saturday night I got a text from him - begging me for my help. Now, I had a very odd feeling in the pit of my stomach when I got this. I decided not to reply for the time being.
On the Sunday my moby was going 9 to the dozen ringing and ringing. It seems he had got his sister to keep calling to ask me to ring him!
I eventually got Mike my mate to sort it out and find out what was going on and he rang the sister. The friend who he has supposedly known for 20 years had thrown him out (or asked him to leave) for no other reason apparently than he wanted his place back to himself!
He wanted me to help him out by letting him come and stay with me for a while. Sorry, but no way - been there and done that a couple of times before in my life and will not ever entertain that idea again.
Something fishy? I think so. You don't know someone for that long and throw them out in the street for no good reason without giving them time to sort out something else unless they've done something real bad.
So, I was right to suspect he was after something. Mike pretended that I had gone away for a few days so I could get some breathing space.
A few days later I decided to send him a text saying that I was sorry about his situation but there was no way I could help accommodation wise, for one thing it's only a one bedroom place and my teneancy (let alone my sanity!) would not allow it. His friend or even his family should be the ones helping him out. Not me - I have only really met him twice and totally do not know him well enough to help in that way.
Plus I don't trust him alone here in my flat (which I didn't add to the text!)
I did it by text so as I wouldn't be interrupted or talked out of it (by persuasion - subtle or otherwise) I felt bad, I have to say, as I would never see anyone suffer - but I knew I'd done the right thing.
The next day I got the phonecall I was half expecting, trying the soft sympathy tack to wear me down, about how he's had to sleep on the streets and homeless places had no openings in their shelters etc etc. "It'll only be for one night, just somewhere to have a wash and go to work from. I'll even sleep on the couch!" "please, PLEASE!"
I held firm - much as it was killing me - I was in tears, but kept saying no, I can't, I can't, I can't. He eventually gave up trying and said he'd call me again in a few days.
Obviously he had realised that he couldn't wear me down.
I have not heard from him since.
Which I am pleased about. Even though it goes against my nature - I couldn't go through the sort of trouble that comes with people with mega problems.