Your friend has a favor to ask. Maybe she wants to go to the gym with you, trade a pudding pack for your Lunchable, or get a ride to school. The specifics don’t matter. At some point, a friend is going to try to convince you to do something you're not crazy about. And that dear old buddy of yours will probably turn into one of these three monsters:
The Beggar: Getting down on her knees isn’t out of the question, and she’ll start every sentence with three “Pah-leeze”s in a row. There’s no real tactic here aside from being pathetic, repeating the request a dozen times, and adding “with a cherry on top” every now and then.
Effectiveness rate: 18.4 percent
The Guilt-Tripper: He’ll bring up anything nice he’s ever done in the past 15 years to justify the request. Stuff like, “Remember that time in the sandbox when I let you have the shovel that time we were three?” is not off limits. And if you’ve ever asked for anything from him, even if it was just to borrow an erasable pen, he’ll act like you owe him a kidney in return. But he does succeed in making you feel bad...sometimes.
Effectiveness rate: 53.1 percent
The Bully: Always frightening, this person doesn’t use reason or pleading, just brute strength and terror. She will ask for the favor after backing you into a literal corner, or hinting that she'll let it slip that you might have had a more recent bought of bed-wetting than is socially acceptable if you don’t do as you’re “asked.” And by “asked,” we mean "forced."
Effectiveness rate: Sadly, 92.9 percent
How to you get your way?
Related Post: Grounded or Guilt-Tripped: Which is Worse?
Topics: Life
Tags: annoying things, friendships, bullies, favors
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