It started with a sweater. There was a sweater in my doorway between the screen door and the door itself (which is curved at the top like I'm a garden gnome, I mean it, the house is too sweet for words). I brought it in, thinking my mom must have dropped it off.
Neighbor lady, the next day, "Did you get the present I left for you? Too small for you but it could fit your girls."
I said I did, with a smile, confused.
Then it was a bag of oats. Sophia answered the door to that one. So now I have a bag of oats.
Then it was a knock on the door at 11:30 one Friday night while I was drinking and laughing at the table with friends. It was scary (remember I used to live in the somewhat reformed 'hood). But it was just a trashbag of clothes that smelled like smoke.
Neighbor lady, the next day, "I clean houses for a living and I got to tell you, they throw out all kinds of stuff. I'll just leave you things."
A book about sailboats.
Two boxes of off-brand cereal.
"What are we going to do?" Sophia asked, earnest and stressed.
"Be polite and reserved," I decided. "I can't go full on crazy on her, she's just being nice."
You could just politely ask her to stop, though?
ReplyDeleteBut yes, picking your fights/when or when not to go full crazy is wise.
This is so weird.
ReplyDeleteOh, crap.
ReplyDeleteI've started a spreadsheet of items.
ReplyDeleteOh dear. I think you've fallen into a King novel. Your choices are: 1) move out, in the dead of night, or 2) hope that Sophia has hidden powers that will come in handy when the Zombies arrive.
ReplyDeleteHer dyslexia is often a hidden power....
DeleteI think you are doing the right thing. She seems to think you need what she is giving you and anything else might hurt her feelings.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was growing up we had a neighbor who'd come to the back door, yell "Yoohoo!" and walk into the kitchen always bearing a gift. It infuriated my mom, but my dad just laughed. I didn't mind it because it was a nice distraction from whatever argument my mom and I were having at the time.
Oh that's funny!
DeleteI have started a shelf in the mudroom with the canned goods and cereal she's given us. The grade school Leo goes to has a canned food day once a month that is 2 non-perishables for a dress out day. I'm going to pay it forward...