Every day, we interact with people who seem harmless, but sometimes their actions reveal a different story. Some individuals have a knack for taking advantage of others while maintaining an innocent facade. They act as if they’re entitled to your help, leaving you feeling used and unappreciated.
I recently had an encounter with my elderly neighbor that opened my eyes to this behavior. She approached me near our building, looking concerned, and asked if I could fix her computer. She said she couldn’t access any websites. When I took a look, I realized her computer wasn’t connected to Wi-Fi. A few days earlier, I had replaced my router and updated the password. That’s when it hit me—eight years ago, she had asked for my help because she didn’t have internet and needed to contact her son abroad. I had set up Skype for her and connected her to my Wi-Fi, but I never thought to disconnect her.
When I told her she had been using my internet all this time, she simply asked, “What should I do now?” I suggested she get her own internet plan, which was affordable at just $4 a month. Her response was surprising: “Just set it up like before. You have internet. Why not share?” I stood my ground and said no. She never thanked me for the years of free internet, and now she avoids me. Still, I choose to believe in the goodness of people.
