What was the premise for the "deal"?

So, what did I agree to? ...and why did I agree to it?

After being his friend for five years, here's the proposal that Christopher E. Lamont came to me with.  Keep in mind that I had recently given him, as a token of friendship, a substantial quantity of my priceless collection. To this day, there is NO WHERE Chris could ever have gotten any of this, except from me. It was a irreplaceable gift. Here's is the line of bullshit Chris laid on me to get his hands on the rest of my property.

...It would be my greatest privilege, if you would allow me the honor of helping you count and catalog your historic film collection.

I know it would be, but I don't need any help and I'm too worried about anything happening to it.

Well you can trust me, I won't let anything happen to it.  After all, I'm your best friend and if you can't trust your best friend, who can you trust?  I'll take real good care of it. You know there's no way I would ever let anything happen to it.

Besides, this would be a great way for me to prove to everyone that I'm responsible and can be trusted to do something serious.  (Actually, it was a great way for you to prove just what a fucking shitbag you are.)

Why do you need to prove that? ...and who do you need to prove it to?

Oh, um, ...just some people.

Who? I'll go talk to them for you.

No, um, that's alright. Just let me help you do this, and everything will be fine.

Hmm, let me think about it.

I thought about it for several days before finally agreeing to let Chris "help me count and catalog" my priceless collection. At the time I figured, what could he do?! ...run off with it forever? (yep, that was his plan) Besides, Greg has my back. What's he going to do? ...screw us both over? (nope, just me. Greg's in on the deal.)

We were in the middle of making our first feature film. My family had just pulled together enough money to get Chris, Greg, and I, the equipment we had been saving and working for. (It didn't matter, they ultimately just quit and walked out.)

Then, I gave Chris a several hour long orientation session about the handling and care of my film. Before having him sign an "iron-clad" agreement in which under no circumstances was my film not to be returned.

What I didn't know at the time, was that it was all lies. Chris had always been after my film collection. He never had any intention of "helping" me do anything. No remorse. No regard. Nothing. Just a greedy little shitbag that has grown up to be a shitty little man.

...and off he went!