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Malicious Compliance: A Story About How Greed Rarely Pays

When you’re a little kid, your parents probably taught you to share. It was sometimes a hard thing to do but it’s a good lesson to learn – greed isn’t a skill one needs to learn, and it’s a trait that will very rarely earn anyone a friend.

Some people choose not to learn that lesson, though, and as they get older, that translates into a person who worships money above pretty much everything else.

In this case, even above common sense.

This man ended up at a popular, sold-out concert with a couple of extra tickets.

Rather than throw that cash in the trash, he decided to try to sell the extras at face value while his wife and daughter went inside.

Back in the days when we could go to concerts I was stuck with a couple of tickets for a Sold Out gig.

When we got to the venue I sent the rest of my family in to see if I could sell on my spare tickets – only wanted face value ($60 each) – and I knew it was a sell-out.

There was only one other scalper outside, so he figured he would give the guy first crack.

The scalper offered him $10 a ticket instead of $60, so OP told him to go piss up a rope.

It was only a relatively small venue so only one obvious scalper in view.

I asked if he wanted to buy my pair knowing he would resell them for wayyy over face value.

He offered me $10 each “take it or leave it – or see if you can get more for them!” I informed him I’d rather tear them up in front of his face than let them go that cheap! End of conversation.

When a taxi pulled up with a couple looking for tickets, the actual scalper tried his pitch first, but when OP swooped in with the better deal, they snapped it up.

Within 5 mins a taxi pulled up and a couple of folks jumped out desperate for a pair of tickets.

The scalper was on them like a shot. I slowly wandered over to join their conversation- and he was just about to close the deal for a pair at $120 EACH ticket.

I lent in and said – hey fellas I’ve got a pair here for face value – $60 each. They were a little skeptical but walked in with me to validate that they were genuine…. and paid up!

Hey Mr Scalper you told me try to get more. Shame it cost you your sale!

It’s a short tale, but one that’s pretty poignant, I think.

He could have sold the tickets for double, if he’d just been fair to begin with – and maybe sold a second pair, too.

If you’re curious, here’s a little background about the show, because everyone likes to hear about a good concert, right?

For a little more context – the show was Kasabian – massive Uk band playing a tiny venue in Toronto.

Karma played a part and the kind bouncer sent my wife and I to the empty upstairs (there were literally 10 people there all of us with the best view in the house). While my 18 yo daughter and her friend were in the 1300 strong pit!

We all agreed that this was our favourite concert of all time (I’m mid 50’s and have been to countless gigs – big and small) and my daughter has seen ALL the greats! (very mild /s). (Jonas Bros, Shawn Mendes, T-Swift etc (T-Swift is phenomenal too BTW – what a talent))

I love stories like this, don’t you? I mean, unless you’re the scalper.

What’s your best r/maliciouscompliance story? Our comments are open!