Dumaguete Info Search


What makes Dick tick?

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Forum' started by shadow, Apr 12, 2012.

  1. shadow

    shadow DI Forum Luminary

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    Sometimes people amaze, as well as baffle the hell right out of me. I must be one very bad judge of character when it comes to foreigners here, as I often seem to fall afoul of their thought processes.
    A few years ago a friend from Cebu contacted me and wanted my expertise in qualifying a motorcycle he was considering purchasing. The motor in question was an XR200, and as I recall it had about 6000 km on it. It was in basically new condition. My friend in Cebu purchased the motor. I made no commission on the sale, although the purchaser did buy lunch for me and the wife. I then became “acquaintances” with the seller, a Brit, whom I will call Dick who lived here in Dumaguete.
    A year or two later, Dick hit the headlines. He was in an altercation with a local well known businessman, and a physical altercation ensued. A week or two later, my new acquaintance was arrested for “engaging in pedophilia”. I’m guessing that by now many of you have figured out who “Dick” is. Anyway, during the following months, I was in many conversations with other foreigners (mostly Brits) where I was defending Dick against the general consensus that he was the bad egg, not the business owner. Numerous people warned me about him, including some members of this forum. I should have listened. Still, I refused to judge him based on the rumors and press coverage.
    Dick was released from his accommodations at Bicutan, and returned to Dumaguete some months later, specific methods unknown. We became closer than associates, but not quite what one would call a friend.
    Fast forward to November 7, 2011. I was having a liquid lunch at Coco Amigos (unusual for me) when Dick showed up, and joined me at my table. We talked about a few things, then he informed me he was looking to rent a welder for a while, but didn’t want to pay P300/day for one, as that is the going rate. I told him that I had one he could borrow for a while, as it was not being used. The next morning Dick showed up with two Filipinos in tow, and borrowed my small welder, cables, and primary wire. I told him I had no immediate need for it as I have another welder, a much bigger unit, to use if I needed one, so there was no rush to return it. I heard nothing from him until December 18, when he sent me a string of text messages, asking how we fared in Sendong, etc. He then sent me “I think welder is useless, it was in the stockroom when the wave hit us”.
    I then sent him several text messages, telling him that was a bummer, that I would be in need the welder in the upcoming months, as I had some jobs to do that required more portability than my other machine provided. I told him as long as it was a fresh water wave, the machine might be ok, but it needs to be taken apart and dried in the sun for a few days to prevent corrosion. He did not respond to these messages.
    On December 27th, we were out in the area (Amlan) and stopped by his house. I wanted to see if he had in fact disassembled it and put in the sun to dry. I told Rony (wife) at that time that if he did in fact take it apart and put it in the sun, that even if it no longer worked, the effort would show me good faith and I would release him of responsibility. Rony, of course, does not understand me sometimes. A Filipino met us at the gate and informed us Dick was not at home. There was no disassembled welder sitting in the sun to dry in sight. Fast forward to March 20, I text Dick asking the status of the welder, saying I was in need of it now. No response. March 24 I txt him asking if it was ok to pick it up. No response. Over the course of the next 10 days, I called his number incessantly, letting the phone ring until it was disconnected by the provider. On March 26 I borrowed a vehicle and made an attempt to pick the welder up. The Filipino working in the yard made a beeline for the house when he saw us, then re-qppeared some minutes later, pretending to not know we were there. Eventually he came to the gate and when asked told us the welder was not there, it was “in Dumaguete”. When queried further, he would only say it was in a shop in Bagacay. On the way home, we had a flat tire. We bought a tube for the tire, which was quite thin and had picked up a nail. On March 31 I get a text from Dick’s number stating “Hi Kinsa ni (Who is this)”.
    I responded that my patience was wearing thin, later I received a message in English asking “who the hell are you, and why do you keep miscalling this number?” (I had always let the phone ring as long as it would before being cut off, I did not “miscall”) I replied with who I was and that I needed the welder back as I have a need for it, and would have to rent one starting on Monday, April 2.
    Dick then went on to tell me that everything was corroded inside and that his guys spent two days cleaning it and replacing bolts. This is a small 200 amp welder, it has a total of less than 20 small bolts, it should take no more than an hour to take it apart and put it back together. (add another hour or even two for cleaning) He told me that I would have to pay him for the work his guys did on the welder. I asked him how much he wanted me to pay for doing him this favor, he said yes, I had done him a favor and he would have to get back to me.
    On Monday April 2 I got a text from him. “It’s P3000 for repairs and cleaning of machine” I responded that was ridiculous, any shop in Dumaguete would have done that for P1000 or less. His response, word for word was “My guys spent two days on it, machine was grounded, all cleaned, electrics checked, voltages, etc., cleaned electric fan, corrosion, new stainless bolts, fare, and labor.”
    I responded “Any shop in Duma would have done that for P1000, I can have it completely rewound for P2500, who do you think you are bullshitting?” His response was his guys were not working for him. I offered P1000 in good faith. The next day he responded his guys would accept P2000.
    So we went to his barangay captain. A meeting was set for Sunday, April 8. Dick did not show up at the meeting, instead, one of the Filipinos who picked it up, and the one who had met us at the gate both times, presented himself as a representative of Dick. As the captain speaks no or very little English, my wife told our side of the story, assisted by her Father, whom this welder was originally purchased for in 2003. Fifteen minutes later, the Filipino was very angry and stomping around the room, waving his arms. Then he left. Basically the captian had told him he had no claim for me to pay him for the work on the welder, that Dick had hired him, it was up to Dick to pay him.
    We now have another meeting scheduled for this Sunday, maybe Dick will be man enough to show, maybe not. Maybe someone on this forum that knows Dick can inform him of this post, so he can defend himself publicly, if he can. If he has another side of this story to tell, I would surely like to hear it.
    Where I come from, (USA) if you borrow something from someone, you are responsible for it. The truck I borrowed in a failed attempt to collect my welder had a flat tire, I fixed it, in addition to putting fuel in it to go from Valencia to Amlan and back. I was grateful for being able to use it.
    What the hell? Is it me? Against the advice of most foreigners I often loan tools and equipment to people I know, and sometimes to people, Filipinos included, that I don’t know. Nothing like this has happened to me before. Many foreigners rant about how you can’t trust a Filipino, yet I have never had this problem loaning tools and equipment to a Filipino, only when I do a favor for a Brit named Dick.
    Your responses appreciated, especially from Brits. (Dick or not)
    Larry
     
  2. PatO

    PatO DI Forum Luminary Highly Rated Poster Showcase Reviewer Veteran Marines

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    After reading the news accounts of the dick, it is hard to believe he wasn't deported in 2008?
     
  3. sfgb35

    sfgb35 DI Member

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    My Simple Rules of Life;

    I trust no one.
    I Listen and read things, but dont believe anything, unless i am witness to it or have personal knowledge.
    I dont lend or borrow anything.

    Of course the best thing about rules is they are made to be broken once in while !!
     
  4. KTM

    KTM DI Senior Member

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    Sounds like he really is a 'dick'. Will PM you both his numbers I know he uses.
     
  5. OP
    OP
    shadow

    shadow DI Forum Luminary

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    Thanks, I have one of his numbers that I know he uses, I also know he uses it very selectively.

    Larry
     
  6. Broadside

    Broadside DI Forum Patron

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    Larry, sorry to hear about the grief you're getting from a knobhead called "Dick". But he's not the standard bearer for all other Brits, and I'm sure you know some who are middle of the road and ok type of guys.
     
  7. OP
    OP
    shadow

    shadow DI Forum Luminary

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    Yes, and having followed you through town one day on your motorcycle, I know at least one who is "all over the road"!

    :wink:

    Larry
     
  8. Broadside

    Broadside DI Forum Patron

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    Hahaha. I figure that the only way to get through the traffic is to ride native style . :o
     
  9. Rhoody

    Rhoody DI Forum Luminary

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    at least you can't sit on your bike on the wrong side, wondering who stole your steering wheel and pedals...
     
  10. brian ausie

    brian ausie DI Forum Patron

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    We have a saying in Australia when lending items "if you break it you own it"
     
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