It is not so much a matter of saving a few dollars as it is one of pride. This is a very intelligent, hard-working girl (top grades in school, taking a course to be a volunteer emergency service worker, talented dance group member) whose group is going to Prague for an international competition. Her family, however, is very poor. This trip will cost 3,500 shekels (roughly $975 per person) for the flight, a week in a hotel, and food. There is no possible way that the family can afford it, so I "hired" her to be a Hebrew tutor for her younger sister (soon to be age 7). They grew up in a home in which only Russian is spoken and the younger sister is having a very difficult time in the first grade. I bought her a book that teaches a Hebrew vocabulary (including writing and spelling) that, if completed, should put her at the accepted level to start the second grade in September. As far as the older daughter is concerned, that is my only motive in paying the 3,500 shekels. My other motive is not to put her in a position where the other girls in the group will realize her family's financial situation, thus embarrassing her.

She is going to want/need some spending money during her week in Prague. If I just hand her shekels to convert there, she will consider herself to be a charity case. I had roughly $100 in U.S. currency and an equivalent amount in Euros. I told her that I have no use for these currencies and she can take them with her to spend in Prague. If I suddenly "find" some Czech koronas "in a desk drawer" left over from my trip there, I can add them to her spending money.

Would I be lying to her? Of course. Would I be cheating her? Probably. But as a Dirty Old Man who has long enjoyed lying to, and cheating on, women of all ages, why should I stop now?