Random

To the Mexican (I think) chef that could not find a hooker; What were you going to do if we found one? Bring her home to your wife?

Random

Hey Don from the Coalbanks. I think you need to change your diaper or underwear and stop drinking so much. My cab smelled like rotten shit for over an hour even after a good dousing of air freshener and Lysol. Three trips later I had a guy comment to his friend "Man, did you just shit yourself?".

Thanks a lot asshole.

Downtown Lethbridge

Something bad happened near the XXXXXX, pretty much next to the XXXXXX Inn. Police had the scene taped off and the CSI van was present.

XXXXXX Gang Beating

Apparently this guy got in a fight in the liquor store and beat up the other guy. When he came outside the store he was beaten up by all the other guys friends. As the police arrived on the scene he managed to gain consciousness and get up off the ground. You can see the manager of the liquor store trying to protect the scene, he is holding the bat like object.

Random

This strange lady was in her late 30's or early 40's and had an 18 year old son.

Me: "Is that a cat in your backpack?"

Her: "Yes I hope that's ok."

Me: "Yeah that's fine. Where are you off to?"

Her: "I want to go to Studio 54."

I start driving and about half way there...

Me: "So are you actually going to take the cat into the bar with you?"

Her: "What have you never seen a girl with a pussy in the bar before?"

Me: "Not a girl with two, I guess now you can go around and ask all the guys if they want to rub your pussy."

Her: (Silent)

Me: (Wondering if that was appropriate)

So we arrive at the bar

Her: After pulling her money out of her bra "Damn these big boobs come in handy sometimes"

Me: "They sure do"

Highway Rollover

It looked as though a few vehicles were involved in this crash. Apparantly the person whose vehicle rolled into the ditch was trapped under the vehicle and died while being removed.

XXXXXX Villa Fire

I could only post the ones that were under 100 MB.
This fire occurred Monday November 17 at approximately 3:00 - 3:30am. The fire department evacuated the building and the residents were taken by a city bus to an unknown destination to spend the night. From what I could tell at least a few units in the apartment were damaged.
On a related note and from the Lethbridge Herald Wednesday, November 19, 2008 (unnamed author):
"Grow op discovered during fire investigation
Two people are facing drug charges after a small marijuana grow operation was discovered while fire officials were investigating a blaze at Winston Villa apartments on Monday.
Members of the fire department discovered the grow op in one of the neighbouring suites located in the apartment complex. A search warrant unveiled 37 marijuana plants in the early stages of growth, along with 115 grams of packaged marijuana and a butterfly knife.
Ashley Miedema, 26, and Jarrid Gfrerer, 24, both of Lethbridge are charged with production of marijuana for the purpose of trafficking, possession of marijuana and possession of a prohibited weapon.
The pair is scheduled to appear in Lethbridge provincial court Dec. 19."
If my math is correct that is around a quarter pound and they will probably receive a suspended sentence.

Flustered Care Worker

I picked up a mentally challenged man and his care worker at the Movie Mill and apparently he had become aggressive and the decision was made to leave the theater (or they were asked to leave, I am unsure) .

The plan was for me to drop the woman off at the care home and take the guy to the hospital, while the care worker followed in her own car. It seemed to me as though she did not want to be driving with him alone, which is understandable.

Once we get to the care home the guy is upset and tries to hit the female care worker. She assertively said "that's enough" and he sat back in his seat. It was not like he tried to punch her, it was more of a waggly flailing of his arm towards her.

She was really unsure of how to handle the situation and was calling everyone to try to find her supervisor for advice on how to deal with the situation. The care worker saw no need for the guy to go to the hospital and he would not get out of the car.

She finally got a hold of her supervisor and comes to my window and tells me that he can only go to the hospital under police escort. She then asked me to do whatever it takes to get him out of the car. I really have never dealt with a mentally challenged person before and was unsure of how he would react. During the previous ten minutes or so he sat in the back seat and really never said a word or did anything, but he wanted to go to the hospital and no where else.

I hesitated and finally turned around and sternly said "listen, we are here and we are not going anywhere else, it is time for you to get out."

At this point he kind of freaked out, he had been so calm up until I told him to get out and he called me a bitch and slammed the door as hard as he could and stormed off. I gave the cute care worker a smile and she smiled back. She then mentioned how she needed to find another job.

You really had to be there, it was one of the most entertaining ordeals I have ever witnessed.

I mentioned what happened with another driver and he said he had seen them a short time later at the hospital and the police were there as well.

I felt bad for the care worker because she continued to deal with this man after I was gone. I also felt bad for kicking him out of the cab. I do not know of his medical condition but it made me realize how lucky I am not to have to live like that.

Random

To the girl wearing the black panties with white polka dots from Kainai House: Thank you for puking your guts out in front of the Lethbridge Lodge and not in my car. It was greatly appreciated.

The Negotiation

I flagged a trip from Ezzies tonight and three young women get in the cab. I could tell from their accents that they were foreigners but never did find out where they were from. The conversation went pretty much like this:

Girls: We want to go to Boss Hogs (the newest country bar in town).

Me: Boss Hogs it is (and start driving).

Girls: Has anyone ever given you a blow job while driving a cab

Me: Well not exactly (for lack of anything better to say and to see where the conversation went)

Girls: What about a hand job? Is there anything we can do for you to get a free ride?

Me: There are lots of things you could probably do.....

Girls: What if we all show you our boobs?

Me: That might work

...One of the three girls said she wanted no part in showing her breasts to me. But the other two said they would and seemed enthused about it...

Girls: So if us two show you our tits you will give us a free ride?

Me: If I can take a picture

Girls: No, you can not take a picture but I will let you feel them (she sat up and started rubbing my chest and said "see, just like this"

Me: Ok I guess I could go for something like that

So we arrive at the bar and the two girls pull down their low cut tops and give me full viewing pleasure. I never went for a feel until she said it was ok (lets not forget these are my customers and I do try to be a gentleman lol). I did as was told and fondled the girls breasts.

All in a days work and the total fare the girls would have had to pay $5.50.

They were not drunk as far as I could tell and were just looking for a little excitement. I think I got most of the excitement out of that one.

Cab Driver Stabs Four People

I almost forgot about this incident that happened at the Corner Pocket in Lethbridge a few months ago.

http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/news/story.html?id=884980e2-806a-4c22-8521-0ab8bb169b49&k=45589

Man in custody after quadruple stabbing

Jamie Komarnicki, Calgary Herald

Published: Saturday, March 15, 2008

One man is in custody after a quadruple stabbing in Lethbridge early Saturday morning.

Four victims were taken to hospital after receiving non-life-threatening stab injuries at Corner Pocket Billiards at about 1:30 a.m.

All were later released from hospital.

The stabbing took place in the parking lot of the bar.

Police say the incident doesn't appear to be random, and stemmed from an escalated verbal dispute.

Ahmed El-Meadway, 45, of Lethbridge, is facing nine criminal charges relating to the incident, including four counts of assault with a weapon and three counts of assault causing bodily harm.

..........................................................

Apparently this was the owner of Luxury XXXXXX and he freaked out on the bartender, a bouncer, and two patrons of the bar, stabbing them all.

I remember the next day after it happened I picked up the bouncer who had gotten stabbed and he said that if he wasn't as large (fat) as he was it could have been a life-threatening stab wound. I was surprised that he was back to work the next day, bandages and all.

...............................

I believe as of today the bar is still offered for sale at $1,600,000. This asking price was reduced $150,000 from the initial asking price on the mls commercial listings.

Saturday Night

Some random events of this somewhat interesting evening.

I picked up this woman from XXXXXX, which is surprisingly not a strip club. Before we leave her friend comes running out of the bar and tells me that she is going to kill me if I do anything to my customer (her friend).

My Customer proceeds to tell me how her friend just killed himself and that it was his funeral today. She was drunk at this point and wanted to stop by XXXXXX Sports Bar to see if any of her friends were there. We arrive and I am hesitantly convinced to accompany her inside as her friend/date. We go in the bar and look around and she starts feeling me up in front of pretty much everyone. I am sober (obviously) and am looking around the bar and it seemed like everyone was looking at us.

It was interesting yet awkward and I can envision her friend telling me she is going to kill me if I did anything with her and we left soon after. We arrive at the woman's home and she wants me to come inside. Number 1 thought: her friend is going to kill me, #2 she is drunk, #3 she is married, #4 just no.

.......................................................................................................................................................................


Do not forget your ID.


I picked up a few students from the residence at the Lethbridge College. We arrive at the XXXXXX when one of the girls realizes she does not have her ID. I ended up driving them all back to the college and then back to the bar with every ones Id's. Total extra cost: $35.

.........................................................................................................................................................................

My night ended as a witness to a senseless assault outside of the XXXXXX in front of a XXXXXX hot dog stand. Two males were pretty much facing off. The victim of the assault was just standing his ground and did not provoke any sort of attack. The assailant apparently bought the victim a hot dog and the victim did not want it. The assailant became enraged and put the hot dog on the ground. He kept telling the victim to pick up the hot dog.

At this point I have a prime time view and begin video recording (I just knew something was going to happen, something always does). The victim finally reaches down to pick up the hot dog off the ground when the assailant kicks him in the face hard. The victim fell to the ground unconscious and I phoned for an ambulance. When he finally woke up he did not recall getting kicked in the face and didn't really seem to care. He was drunk and definitely needed medical care and taken away in an ambulance..

Now I have another fucking police report to fill out, which ended my night early. Not to mention I have to come down to the station so they can get my video evidence.

It seems like every weekend there are police at or around the XXXXXX and assaults are common place. Only tonight have I had a prime view of just how senseless these attacks are.

.....................................................................................................................................................................

From a few nights ago:

A teenage white male was stabbed in front of the 5th avenue MM XXXXXX by a gang of XXXXXX teenagers. I believe native should be capitalized but I refuse to show such respect.

.........................................................................................................................................................................

I picked up a XXXXXX male tonight from the hospital, which is not uncommon. Sure enough the hospital (taxpayers) are paying for his ride to the shelter. Along the way he tells me it is my job to convince to shelter workers that he should be able to stay there. Normally everyone is able to stay at the shelter but he tells me he is banned from there.

I was not impressed. My rant I never said: "You piece of shit drunk, you get kicked out of the shelter, most likely for being a drunk piece of shit, you have no job and you receive free care from the hospital facilities. You receive a free cab ride on the tax payers dollar only to ask a tax paying citizen to fight for your case to be able to stay at a shelter, where you are banned from, go fuck yourself".

So I ended up pleaded his case to the shelter worker. I can not just let someone spent the night outside, no matter how much I hate their lifestyle. I believe he was allowed to stay the night. The Lethbridge Shelter is definitely overcrowded and you drunk XXXXXX better get your shit together because more well deserving individuals require your bed.

........................................................................................................................................................................

Lesson Learned

So when a staff member comes out of the XXXXXX (bar) and gives you money to take someone home, refuse the trip and drive off immediately. I accepted the trip and had to stop a couple times to let the young woman puke her guts out. I had to clean up a little bit after her but at least nothing was left on the seat and only required a spray at the car wash. No more bar paid trips!

I have had enough for the night.

Bad Decision After Getting Ripped Off

I received a call to XXXXXX South at around 1:45am. I arrive and a XXXXXX guy gets in and tells me to go to XXXXXX West. He is drunk (as are a lot of my customers at this time of night). His name was XXXXXX and he was wearing an orange polo shirt and a dark coloured hat.

We arrive at the address and I wake him up and tell him he owes me $18.10. He tells me he has to get the money from inside. At this point I get that feeling that this is not going to end well.

He stumbles up to the front door and I hear a honk from a car. Apparently his drunk friend passed out in the drivers seat of his car in the driveway and was trying to get his attention.

I soon learned that neither individual has the money to pay me for the ride. It is not the first time I have been stiffed for a fare and began suggesting alternative measures such as collateral and so on and so forth. They are both drunk and the one guy says "we have a very reasonable cab driver here". The less drunk XXXXXX piece of shit comes back and hands me his tax exempt treaty card and says "that should cover it, eh". I say "no I need something worth more than the fare to ensure future payment".

Long story short they began speaking to me with a racist tone "this white guy thinks he is getting paid" followed by laughter. I took a lot of abusive language from the soberest drunk XXXXXX during the negotiation phase of the incident before deciding to get the police involved.

I requested the police at around 2:00am.

Long story short I waited over an hour for the police to arrive and decided to keep the meter running (against my better judgement). When the police arrived the fare was $68.10, of which I owe the company 52 percent of.

The police officer arrives with a student from the Criminal Justice Program. I explain the situation and the officer says "we can not get a warrant to enter the residence if there is a back door". I am not really sure what the back door has anything to do with getting a warrant but I guess maybe they could have escaped the house.

The officer repeatedly knocks on the front door and I knock on the window trying to wake up the passed out XXXXXX piece of shit on the couch.

Anyway, I should have cut my losses at $10 approximately and proceeded to make money during bar rush (which I missed most of) instead of waiting for the police to arrive and not get paid anyway. Not to mention the extra $25 out of pocket I had to pay for keeping the meter running while waiting for the police.

In total after shelling out $35 for the fare I was not paid I lost out on approximately $200 in additional fares. The total loss for me amounted to approximately $140.

I know this story is a bit all over the place; mostly because I am still irate at the entire situation.

During the repeated knocks on the front door by the officer one of the drunk XXXXXX bastard pieces of shit answered the door and now the officer has entry.

To end this post and get to bed the officer ended up arresting XXXXXX and of course I want to press charges after all this bullshit. XXXXXX is off to the drunk tank. I have a blank police statement to fill out and get back to the officer with. I also am expecting a summons to appear in court.

You better believe I will show up in court and plead my case to a judge and ask for the maximum sentence (which I believe could be as high as a $500 fine).

I believe that I now have no recourse to collect on the fare except for perhaps a small claims court judgement.

What a waste of a Saturday night bar rush. I have had enough with these XXXXXX pieces of shit and took a stand in a civil manner. I was more than enthused to ensure vigilanty justice was accomplished but that feat was not undertaken ... yet.

Two accidents in one day

Both were pretty minor at speeds between 3-10km/hr.

Accident 1 : I hit a curb. I looked ahead at the sidewalk and it had a rounded edge. Where I tried to park and pull up on the sidewalk a bit it was square so I hit it with the front end and caused paint and minor body damage. I wrote up an accident report and the company pretty much said because I was honest about reporting it they would not make me pay for the damage (hurray!).

Accident 2 : I stopped behind a vehicle at the Roadhouse and the vehicle in front of me reverses and the back end of the other vehicle clears the front end of the taxi and is now in the wrong lane when he swings the front end of his vehicle right into the front of the taxi. Bang. No real time to react to that one (not really sure what he was trying to do either).

The funny thing about accident 2 is last night I flagged the owner of the car who hit me from University Drive. He gets in and tells me he has to go to a certain bar. He proceeds to tell me how he just fucked this woman and bolted from her place when she went into the bathroom. I can only imagine the woman coming out of the bathroom to find her "date" gone. I have no reason not to believe his story. He recognizes me and tells me about the accident from the week before and wants to settle. I passed on the new info to the owners.

Elderly Lady Robbed Downtown

I was driving my own vehicle downtown about a week ago when this old lady flagged me down in front of the XXXXXX bank on 5th street S.

She told me someone stole her purse and her car keys. I didn't have my phone on me (stupid me) and could not really help her. I asked what they looked like and she gave me a common description and the direction they went. I told her she could phone the police at the payphone across the street.

The direction the guy ran in was towards the alley behind the XXXXXX. I drove down the alley and there was a gang of XXXXXX outside the back door. I drove by slow and did not see a purse. I was not about to question them about it either. I probably would have been robbed and they would have stole my car.

The following is the itinerary for a XXXXXX criminal living in Lethbridge Alberta. Please note that this is not an itinerary for XXXXXX people, but XXXXXX criminals.

7:00am - Four day peyote trip wears off
7:01am - Sleep
7:02am - Wake up to police asking why I am sleeping in the park downtown and have pissed and shat myself
7:30am - Arive at the police station in the patty wagon with all my other buddies
10:00am - Given a hot breakfast and fresh clothes
12:00am - Released because of over crowding. (Welfare checks were issued the previous day and many are completely wasted drunk and rounded up and they need the room)
12:30am - Cash my welfare check
12:45am - Hit the XXXXXX Liquor store on 6th ave and 5th street, buy a Big Bear beer,
12:46am - Drink the Big Bear beer
12:47am - Back to Lethbridge Liquor for another Big Bear beer
1:00pm - Hit the XXXXXX to find some crack and maybe a hooker or two
1:01pm - Fuck a hooker while she hits the crack pipe (think: damn your good)
1:20pm - Back to the XXXXXX and get in a fight with four horns donky lover wolfchild
1:30pm - Buy another Big Bear beer at XXXXXX Liquor
2:00pm - Get weed from the drug dealer living at the XXXXXX
3:00pm - Steal something from a pawn shop
3:10pm - Pawn stolen goods at another pawn shop
3:15pm - Get transportation from the nearest Elementary School before class ends and steal some little kids bike
4:00pm - Cruise downtown and try to make a couple drug deals
4:01pm -Get a Big Bear beer from XXXXXX Liquor before drug deals
5:00pm - Pass out drunk behind XXXXXX Liquor store, or wherever is close by
10:00pm - Wake up
10:05pm - Get Big Bear beer from XXXXXX Liquor and head downtown
10:15pm - Notice someone riding the bike you stole fair and square from the elementary school and give chase
10:20pm - Give up on chase and puke out guts, (think: if I were at the police station or in jail I would get something to eat.)
10:30pm - Rob some poor old lady in her car in front of the bank
10:35pm - Empty contents of purse and discard anything not of value
10:40pm - Blend in at the XXXXXX as to not get caught as easily
1:30am - Get thrown out onto the street before closing time because I pissed my pants and smashed a Big Bear beer bottle on the floor
2:00am - Buy a lot more crack (think: when is the next welfare check coming)
3:00am - Cruise the neighborhood looking for easy scores
3:30am - Get stabbed behind the XXXXXX for asking and elder to suck my dick
7:00am - Wake up and think: all in a days work, I wonder what good deeds I shall do today.

I guess I got off topic about the old lady getting robbed. The police arived shortly after and I think the Lethbridge Herald said she was 83 years old. I felt bad but she should have had more common sence to know not to withdrawal money downtown at 11:00pm alone.

Taxi Spy Cam

So I have been doing a little investigating into whether or not I am legally allowed to put a video surveillance system (with audio) in a taxi to record events that transpire throughout the night. I have spoken with the Staff Sergeant on duty (through a third party) of the Lethbridge Police Service and was told that unless the company installs the camera I would be violating the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIP).

What does the company installing the camera have anything to do with it being legal or illegal? I am a contract driver and receive no paycheck or compensation from the taxi company. I pay the company to operate a vehicle. I have my own business licence and can claim expenses so why can I not choose for myself whether or not a recorded video surveillance system is appropriate?

I briefly spoke to three lawyers today and none of them would really provide me with a definite answer. They pretty much said they did not think it was a problem unless I distributed the content of the video (which I disclosed I was intending on doing). A certain lawyer referred me to the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Alberta where I was able to find more information on the FOIP act and more specifically the "Guidelines for Overt Video Surveillance in the Private Sector".

http://www.oipc.ab.ca/ims/client/upload/Video_Surveillance_Guidelines_20080306_e.pdf


"Private sector privacy laws require that organizations’ need to conduct video surveillance must be balanced with the individuals’ right to privacy, which includes the right lead their lives free from scrutiny. Given its inherent intrusiveness, organizations should consider all less privacy-invasive means of achieving the same end before resorting to video surveillance. "

Commenting on the above it would be hard to lead a life free from scrutiny if someone at your office found a video of you picking up drugs and hookers in a taxi.

From my understanding of the guidelines it would be legal to install video surveillance in a taxi but the video must not record audio and must be properly destroyed soon after. Also people need to be informed that they are on camera.

This is all fine and dandy for security purposes but not for the purpose of distributing the content of the video (such as on this blog).

I think the only way I would be able to post videos of taxi rides would be to have oral or written consent from the passengers at the time of the recording. The Personal Information Protection Act states: 8(1) An individual may give his or her consent in writing or orally to the collection, use or disclosure of personal information about the individual.

I think it would be difficult to convince someone who has probably done something illegal or completely stupid to consent to the distribution of the recorded video. I would be scared to ask.

Consequences: From the Privacy Protection Act

"In addition, the act allows for fines of up to $10,000 for individuals who:
• willfully collect, use or disclose personal information in violation of the privacy protection part of the act,
• make a false statement to, or mislead the Commissioner, or his officers or any other person under the act,
• fail to comply with a commissioner's order, or"

In conclusion: Some laws are meant to be broken, maybe not this one.

CALLAGHAN GARRETT ROBERT CALLAGHAN

CALLAGHAN GARRETT ROBERT CALLAGHAN, beloved companion of Mackenzie Becker, of Lethbridge, passed away suddenly on Friday, October 10, 2008 at the age of 21 years. A Celebration of Garrett's Life will be held at CORNERSTONE FUNERAL HOME, 2800 Mayor Magrath Drive South, Lethbridge, on Wednesday, October 15, 2008 at 11:00 A.M. Cremation.

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.
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This must have been the guy that was killed in the head on collision on highway #3. Apparently from rumours I have heard he was not intoxicated but somehow was driving on the wrong side of the highway when an oncoming vehicle struck his van. I believe he was the only one involved in the collision who died. Apparently two other people were airlifted to Calgary but survived. I also heard that children were involved but their child seats prevented them from injury.

Head on Collision

Apparently a 21 year old male was killed in a head on collision on the number 3 highway within city limits at approximately 11:30 Friday October 10th. Of course the Lethbridge Herald doesn't even run an article on it because they are run by Mormons and anything bad that happens in Lethbridge is not newsworthy.

$40 Blow Job

I picked up this guy from the XXXXXX Pub and he was intoxicated. He wanted to get a hooker. I asked over the air if any drivers had seen any girls working and where they might be. I was told by another driver to head downtown. So we get downtown and onto 5th street and stroll by the XXXXXX and the XXXXXX. You are pretty much guaranteed to find a hooker around there. I could not see any girls and asked over the air where the other driver was talking about seeing them. I could see him parked in front of the XXXXXX Bank and he told me to pull in behind him.

I pulled in behind him and out jumps this blond native women and she strolls over to talk to my customer. In the meantime three other girls are walking by and the one caught my customers attention. The conversation went pretty much like this.

Customer: Want to make some money?

Hooker: How much you got, eh?

Customer: I have $40.

Hooker: What do you want for $40?

Customer: I want the whole thing baby.

Hooker: You are not getting that for $40.

Customer: How about a blow job then?

Hooker: Sure (and she got in the cab).

In the meantime the first hooker starts bitching that he was her customer and that the other hooker stole him from her and she started freaking out about how the other cab driver told her to come talk to my customer and make some money and that she wasted her time. I am really wondering what the hooker was doing with the other cab driver downtown at 2:00am. The other cab driver claims to know what all the hookers nipples look like and comments on them often.

So I start driving and they want to do it in the back seat. That's the last thing I need is a cum shot on the back of my neck from some drunken idiot. I said no and took him to where he was staying. There was absolutely no conversation between the hooker and him and it was strictly business as usual I am sure.

Piece of Shit Ernie

ROOM 235 – ATTENTION XXXXXX INN RESIDENTS AND GUESTS. A CRACK DEALING PIMPING GUIDO IS SLEEPING AMONG YOU.

YOU PIECE OF SHIT CRACK DEALER. WHERE IS MY MONEY? DO YOU ENJOY MANIPULATING AND STEALING FROM HONEST HARD WORKING STUDENTS?
IF YOU TOLD ME YOUR REAL NAME, OTHER THAN ERNIE, I AM SURE I WOULD FIND INFORMATION THAT YOU ARE A CONVICTED PEDOPHILE.
............
I FORGOT TO MENTION: GO FUCK YOURSELF


.......

Long story short I ended up lending this guy money out of my own pocket expecting to receive interest on the loan. I knew this guy for about three weeks and knew where his parents lived and I figured he was good for it. I was wrong.

I do not know for sure if he is a crack dealer and he probably is not a pedophile. He is no longer staying at the XXXXXX Inn. I needed some closure on the issue and was/am very pissed off. I went around town and posted about 40 of these posters around the XXXXXX Inn and at various major intersections around town. Not surprisingly, about 75 percent of the posters were removed within 48 hours, most notably around the XXXXXX Inn. I posted one on his parents garage as well.

The formatting and layout could not be reproduced on blogger - due to text boxes (I assume) so what you see is not quite how it looked.

Can you tell I was pissed off? It took me around 2 hours to find the right spots and put up my message. I finally have some closure.

In addition he actually only owes me $60, but that is besides the point. It is the principal of the matter.