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Basic Trope: One character has helped another character several times in the past. Despite this, the latter is adamant that the former still owes them a favor.

  • Straight: Larry tells Bob that he needs to help him more often. Bob points out that he has already helped Larry out of trouble eight times in the last year, so Larry retorts that he hasn't done anything for him this week in particular.
  • Exaggerated: In a Long Runner show, Larry tells Bob that he has never done anything for him. Bob immediately comes with a Long List of times he has helped Larry, giving elaborate description of every instance (regular viewers will know that Bob has helped Larry out of trouble Once per Episode for the last five seasons, and has indeed also already helped him once in this episode), but Larry responds that Bob hasn't done anything for him in the last 12 hours in particular.
  • Downplayed: Larry tells Bob that he needs to help him more often. Bob points out that he has helped Larry out of trouble twice in the past year, but Larry points out that Bob was supposed to have taught him some skill that would have made him a better fighter such that he wouldn't have needed assistance.
  • Justified: Larry has helped Bob in return once, maybe twice, and believes that this somehow makes them even.
  • Inverted: Bob tells Larry that he, Bob, doesn't believe he's helping Larry enough, but Larry's response amounts to Think Nothing of It.
  • Subverted: Larry needs help, so Bob tells him about past instances he's helped. Larry agrees to handle this situation on his own.
  • Double Subverted: ...Just this once, though. Next time, he'll need help.

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