So!

I read a lot, so.. I have come across most cliched situations within the genres that I read, and some not so typical ones as well. And one of the most typical ones is the protagonist, male or female, pretty or handsome, egg shaped head or headless or whatever, is struck dumb. And belonging to the (I'd like to think) not so common species of men whose members have something to say in any given situation, I found that sort of a situation rather dubious. Well, not dubious, really, just hard to imagine. Until now.

A nice day actually, today, was warm by Russian-winter standards. The temperature was hovering around zero-ish. And I had some time between classes to scoot back to my room and grab a spot of lunch. So homeward bound, and I found assorted baggage just outside my room. With a "what the devil" on my lips I entered to encounter one of my neighbours asking for my help in moving those bags downstairs to the street. So carrying those bags, down we(my friends, him and I) went and to the street where we rather cleverly arranged the bags in an unobtrusive corner so as not to hamper anybody else's mobility. And as I stepped back to admire my handwork, this aforementioned neighbour proceeded to thrust some currency into my hands. And conversation proceeded so:
 
Me: Dude, What the..(vocabulary that'll make my parents wonder about their competence in raising me)?
Him: This is also work!
Me: If this was work, we wouldn't have done it, we did it because you needed help. Useless fellow!
Him: Dude, take it, please. My friend asked me to give you.
Me: No way, dude.
Him: Please! please dude, take it. please, please, please!!
Me: No way, I'm sorry.

And I walked away, crossed the road to join my friends who had rather cleverly run for it,  seeing the situation. Entered the market opposite, and spent some time undercover. Then, crossed the road again to walk homeward, to observe him standing and waiting for an automobile of some sort to pick the assortment of luggage up. Asked him if the car was going to come soon, and he said it would be. Probably he was feeling like a spanner as well, and since we're neighbours (and guys, in fact), it'll all be forgotten. But as far as uncomfortable situations go, this must've been up there among the top, and my already low estimate of Malaysia as a country and its citizens has now dropped to below sea level.