When I moved into the house, I inherited everything that came with it. The slow filling flapper less system toilet. The creaky wood floors, the ill wired electrical system, the too tiny pipes for the water pressure, etc.
In the bathroom there is an old claw tub with one of those shower curtains that goes all the way around. It hangs from the ceiling by the shower head and into the wall on the opposite side. The wall isn’t solid and the screws have worn and the whole system is wobbly. I have been hard pressed for an aesthetically pleasing fix. 
My guest this week mentioned he has the same claw tub at home. He said that he has the same issue and he found a way to make it more stable. He asked if I had a tape measure however it was late, I was ready for bed and said we could talk about it the next day.
In the morning on my way out the door, I reiterated that I would like to hear about this solution he has enacted before bed that day since he would only be around for another night. Turns out, I did not see him. I was in bed before he came home.
The following day I came home from work and was reading a book on the couch in the living room when he arrived. He had come home earlier than the previous nights. He surprised me with bringing the things to MacGyver the shower. What a nice gesture! Not many guests go out of their way to do something nice therefore my heart-strings were being tugged on big time.
How much do I owe you? $15 he says. Hmmm- I don’t have that right now. I wanted to hear about how you fixed it. I am not sure I would do the same thing. Even if I liked his idea, I wasn’t prepared to fix it before taking care of my tax bill to the IRS AND I was only willing to pay $3-5 to fix it.
He purchased unnecessary parts. He didn’t measure the length from the curtain rod to the ceiling and bought 4 pieces of chain that were too long, a package of hooks and four metal rings. I already had a hook for the ceiling and an extra ring for the curtain rod. The only thing I would have needed is a proper fitting chain. I am pretty sure that would have cost no more than $3
So now here I am between a rock and a hard place because a guest was kind enough to take action and do a nice deed. It would have been nice if I was in a position to give him the full amount however I would be doing a disservice to myself by doing so. I wasn’t going to hand over $15 that I didn’t have when all I really wanted to do was honor him in hearing his solution. I ended up telling him I didn’t have the money and I didn’t like how the solution “looked” so I would use one ring and one chain. He understood and gifted it to me.
No good deed goes unpunished.
Would you have reimbursed him the $15?
Julie-Noted 