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[quote=Anonymous]I think I know, but could use some blunt feedback:

Context: Friend A and Friend B are American expats in a country where it is very difficult to "get things done" (relevant to the situation).  
Friend A is a teacher at an international school, and is getting ready to move to a new country on Monday.  Friend B is a SAHM whose husband works for a US bank here.

Friend A bought a treadmill for the equivalent of $2000 last year, new.  She wanted to sell it before leaving the country.  Friend B asked if she could have the treadmill; Friend A said she could have it for $1000, or half the price of the year-old machine.  Friend B said she couldn't afford this (she lives in an 8 bedroom mansion with live-in servants, two Range Rovers, bought two ponies for her children last month, and has multiple purses that each cost more than the treadmill, but says she would be middle class in the US; Friend A lives in a one-bedroom apartment, has no car, and just paid off her student loans).  Friend B said she can't afford to pay anything for the treadmill, though she kept pleading to be given the machine for free "because we are friends."  Friend A continued to search for a seller.

A colleague of Friend B's husband offered to buy the treadmill for $1000 several months ago, but yesterday backed out of the sale.  This means that with only days to go, Friend A can't find another buyer.

Because of import issues, the prices of these treadmills in shops has increased by almost 1k since the treadmill was bought last year, so this was a really good deal.

Friend B said that since there is no seller, she wants to arrange for someone to come get the treadmill and bring it to her own home so she can have it (for free, no money).  She pointed out that otherwise the machine would be left behind and "nobody will have it", so Friend A reluctantly agreed.  Friend B quickly found a technician who can dismantle it and arranged for a company to transport it, then texted Friend A these details.  Again, she is now getting the machine for free, and she knows it is because the buyer backed out last minute, and that Friend B had really wanted the money from selling the machine/had not wanted to give it away.

I am Friend A, of course.  Friend B just phoned me to ask me if "everything is OK", I guess because my response to her texts about when she is coming to get the treadmill was so short.  I think I might be unreasonable here, but I feel really angry and kind of used.  Previously we used to go to the gym, go shopping, and see each other almost every day, and we're from the same hometown in the US.  I know she is really isolated here and will expect to continue texting and communicating after I leave; she has already been talking about coming to see me in the new country where I am going, which is a much more desirable location than here.  I know that if she doesn't take my treadmill for free, the alternative is to just leave it in the apartment when I go for a stranger to have, but I honestly would feel better about that.  Friend A is coming on Sunday afternoon with her shippers to get it, and I am just so annoyed with her I know she will see my feelings.  It just feels so grabby and exploitive to me.  Of course I don't know her exact financial circumstances, but she did buy ponies a few months ago, and each of her purses costs far more than my treadmill did.  Am I being unreasonable?  What would you do?[/quote]

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