by monkeyman » Jan 1st, '08, 16:43
Call me a cheapskate or a con but I rarely pay for my drinks when I go out. I don't tend to fleece my mates anymore (it used to really * them off) but I'm more than willing to entertain strangers for drinks and let's face it, at the end of the day, if they weren't impressed they wouldn't cough up. Most of the time I do bar bets and tricks where they bet on the fact that it looks like I've cocked up. One in particular never fails as they've watched me put their card on the table so are more than happy to bet a tenner on the fact I "couldn't possibly have it in my hand right now". But I've also got money, invites to parties, offers of places to stay if I'm ever in Manchester/Sheffield/Leeds/Poland...etc, entry to clubs, lifts home and (my personal favourite) a professional web-designer to build me a site; needless to mention the countless girls I've met.
Recently I was playing pool in my local with a few mates and I was shattered after a days work so decided I'd bypass the magic and just buy my own drinks. Whilst we were just having a quiet one, this wrecked Scouser came over and challenged us to a game of pool. His friend came over to try and disuade him saying "You can't play pool, you're smashed". He was literally bouncing off the walls drunk and there was no way he could play pool. Spotting an oppertunity my friend bet him a tenner that this scouser wouldn't win... the money was on the table then as soon as this guy picked up a cue he went stone cold sober. He didn't miss a shot.
Realising we'd got hustled, I grabbed a deck of cards and told my friend I'd win his money back. By the end of the night I'd won back his tenner, got a round for all six of my friends and got a booking for later that year; all without spending a thing.
I know it's cheeky but hey, how else could a student afford to drink so much?