Guilt Trip

There's few customers that I dread seeing.
The customers where they walk into the store and you think "Oh no, not you again." sort of customers.

This post is about one of those customers.

The situation started out well enough.

Guy came in a while ago. (he's a semi regular)
To get an Oscar fish. Get a tank, the whole set up and such.

And it all went well.
He'd come by every now and then to pick up fish to feed his Oscar.

But then recently. Within the past few months.
He started telling me that he has to leave the state for a few months.
And he's not sure what to do with his fish in the meantime.
As he's driving out of state.

-And traveling with fish isn't always the easiest.
Especially with long car rides.

He apparently doesn't have any friends that he trusts to leave the fish with while he's gone for the season.
Nor is he willing to take the fish with him,
Though I told him multiple ways that he could move the fish with him that could help.

But they're all methods that involve money and other tanks, and the fact that he'd have to set up a tank again in his other state residence.

The last time I saw him.
He tried to bribe me.
Asking if I would be able to watch his fish for him, just go over to his place and go feed it everyday and he'd pay me a certain amount every week to do so for the next 3 monthsish.

It wasn't something that I felt comfortable with.
So I refused to do so.

Today.
He came in again.
Hiding his eyes behind sunglasses.

This time he tried to guilt me into helping him out.
"If you don't take my fish or know someone who can, then my fish is going to die!"

"I'm sorry, I don't have a fish tank, and none of the people I know have a fish tank, nor can they take on one now."

He left not happy.

I watched him go with a glower.

I don't like people who try to guilt me.
Especially when it involves animals lives.
Especially when my hands are tied.
Especially when other people are trying to put blame on others for their inability to care for animals.

I mean,
If you were taking on a pet.
You're taking on the responsibility for their well being.
Even if its just a fish.

If you knew you were going to be moving out of state for a few months.
You should have either a) not gotten the fish in the first place. or b) made arrangements before now to have someone take care of the fish/ take the fish with you.

You can't just guilt some random person i.e. Me, that you've talked to a few times at work, into taking on the responsibilities you should have thought about in the first place.

I honestly hope he takes the fish with him and does his best to keep it alive...
I guess we'll see what happens.

-Sarnic Dirchi