If you're going to undertip, be famous for undertipping

Not everyone who undertips gets arrested. Here's a counterexample, told by the Genial Old Codger with whom I had lunch today. Let us call him Mr. X.

More than 30 years ago, when he was just as G. but far from being an O.C., Mr. X received an American Express card. Being a thrifty sort, he rarely used it, which is why he was surprised to receive his monthly statement with $700 of charge slips (in those days credit card companies returned the yellow copies of charge slips with the invoices), all bearing his account number but signed by a Mr. Y. As those weren't his charges, he didn't pay the bill. The next month brought more charges signed by Mr. Y. Within a few months Mr. Y had charged $7000 to the account of Mr. X, apparently unknowingly (Amex may have accidentally given them the same account number). Amex called Mr. X's place of work and his house, seeking payment. Mr. X explained that his last name was X, not Y, and that he didn't make any of the charges, most of which were to very nice restaurants in a city far away. Amex kept calling. Mr. X wrote Amex with an explanation and cancelled his account. Amex kept calling. Finally Mr. X went to his lawyer, who wrote to Amex: "You have been demanding that Mr. X pay the bills incurred by Mr. Y. One of these bills is for dinner and shows a tip of $20. These can't be Mr. X's charges. Mr. X is so stingy that he would never leave a $20 tip."

Amex was apparently so pleased with this response that within the month, it sent Mr. X an application for another Amex card. I have to report that Mr. X charged today's lunch to a Visa card and not to Amex, but he did leave an 18% tip.

Comments

[Sheilah]

Wow! Good for Mr. X! I'm glad he didn't go back to Amex... :)