I had lived in my apartment building for nearly six years when the man next door moved in. He was quiet, polite, and easy to overlook—the kind of neighbor who always held the door open but never stayed long enough for conversation. Then the knocking started.

The first time, he asked to borrow twenty dollars for an “unexpected expense” and promised to repay me Friday. Friday came and went without a word. A week later, he knocked again asking for forty dollars because of a utility issue.

Then it became a pattern: small amounts of money paired with rushed explanations and embarrassed apologies. After several times, I became convinced I was being manipulated. I stopped answering my door immediately and started preparing the speech where I’d finally tell him no.