Work Off the Debt: Difference between revisions

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[[File:helga-arnold-dishes.jpg|link=Hey Arnold|frame| Oh, shut up and rinse...]]

[[File:helga-arnold-dishes.jpg|link=Hey Arnold!|frame| Oh, shut up and rinse...]]

{{quote|"''I am not gonna go back in there, tell them the truth, and wind up washing dishes. [[[Gilligan Cut]]] I can't believe I told them the truth, and I wound up washing dishes.''"|'''Helga''', ''[[Hey Arnold]]!''}}

{{quote|"''I am not gonna go back in there, tell them the truth, and wind up washing dishes. [[[Gilligan Cut]]] I can't believe I told them the truth, and I wound up washing dishes.''"|'''Helga''', ''[[Hey Arnold!]]!''}}

Characters go to a place where they are expected to pay money for something they have already consumed and can't return -- usually (but not always) a restaurant. However, they are unable to pay for some reason. The owner is called out, and agrees to let them work off their debt, almost always by washing dishes.

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* In an episode of ''[[Digimon Adventure]]'', Matt and Joe have to work off a debt, since their money isn't accepted in the digital world. The digimon running the restaurant keeps them in debt by breaking dishes and blaming it on them.

* In a cute omake for ''[[D.Gray-man]]'', Allen is shown wearing a frilly apron, washing dishes, and taking food orders at the cafeteria in the Black Order. His reason? Because apparently [[Abusive Parents|General Cross]] got him more into debt, so he has to work it off.

* ''[[~~XxxHolic~~]]'' has Watanuki having to pay off an increasingly larger debt of working. {{spoiler|It's not even his debt. Thanks a bunch, Syaoran. Though by building his own set of relationships and memories, Watanuki is cementing his own existence.}}

* ''[[xxxHolic]]'' has Watanuki having to pay off an increasingly larger debt of working. {{spoiler|It's not even his debt. Thanks a bunch, Syaoran. Though by building his own set of relationships and memories, Watanuki is cementing his own existence.}}

* This kicks off the plot of ''[[Ghost Hunt]]'' - Mai accidentally injures Kazuya's assistant and breaks his expensive camera. Not being able to afford a replacement, she has to act as his assistant until the debt is paid.

** And later discovers that, because Naru-chan's equipment is insured, he didn't technically need to get her help to pay for the replacement. He just wanted extra help and the broken camera gave him an excuse. Lin's injury was more reasonable grounds, though.

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== Literature ==

* Used more than once in [[Robert A. Heinlein]]'s books, including ''[[Between Planets]]'' and ''[[~~Job A Comedy Of Justice|~~Job: A Comedy of Justice]]''.

* Used more than once in [[Robert A. Heinlein]]'s books, including ''[[Between Planets]]'' and ''[[Job: A Comedy of Justice]]''.

* Quishan in ''[[Conqueror|Lords of the Bow]]'' is working as a slave for Chen Yi due to "gambling with him, and losing."

* ''[[The Hardy Boys]]'' ended up doing this once. They had their wallets, but the restaurant reserved the right to increase the prices after a certain hour without telling people(?). Apparently they just really felt like using this trope.

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* [[The Simpsons|Bart Simpson]] has worked as both a carnie and a burlesque house doorman, and possibly more.

** Lisa worked as a living ''iPod'' advertising board to pay for her iTunes downloads. [[Spoof Aesop|That's what you get for downloading music legally]].

* In ''[[Hey Arnold]]'', Helga wins a coupon to a fancy French restaurant. When it comes time to pay the bill, it turns out that the coupon was for the fancy French restaurant across the street with a very similar name.

* In ''[[Hey Arnold!]]'', Helga wins a coupon to a fancy French restaurant. When it comes time to pay the bill, it turns out that the coupon was for the fancy French restaurant across the street with a very similar name.

** Phoebe wonders why Helga didn't just explain the situation to the waiter, rather than order more food while she stalled for a friend to bring a box of cockroaches over, thus causing a greater debt than she already incurred:

{{quote|'''Helga:''' We've gotta come up with a plan to get out of paying. I just need some time to think. We'll stall. We'll order more food. Lots more food.