I'm going to add that you should get a sectional and get very familiar with the airspace around the base airport. Also get very familiar with the traffic patterns for each runway so there are no surprises.
As for the last guy. YES HE IS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF YOU. Tell him to shove it. I wouldn't even go and see him. There are thousands of MEI's on the street so he isn't requiring you to get it so you can teach multiengine students. All he wants is your cash. And if he is at this point it is a clear sign that he will be out of business soon.