One day, out of the goodness of my heart, I decided to help my neighbour. It was nothing major, just a simple, random act of kindness. She was on vacation and I took the time, while mowing my lawn, to cut her grass too. (This could also apply to shoveling her driveway and sidewalk during the winter months since she is older and may slip on the icy drive.) Anyway, I did this for her one time. The next time her grass needed mowed, or walk needed shoveled, I saw her on her front porch. I was busy taking care of my own yard maintenance and smiled at Friendly Neighbour when she suddenly turned abrasive towards me. We've occasionally shared a morning coffee and the random bit of gossip together so this turn of events was quite surprising.
FN: Why aren't you doing my yard?
CP: Sorry?
FN: Why are you not working in my yard?
CP: Because it's your yard. I have my own yard to tend.
FN: You took care of mine once for me.
CP: Yes. As a courtesy.
FN: Well now I expect it every time.
CP: I guess you'll just have to learn to take care of yourself again.
FN: What? I guess I'll just slip on the ice, break a hip, and die then.
CP: Well there's that. Or you could use your tractor with the plow attachment and, you know, do it yourself like you used to do. I bet your pharmacist once called your prescriber to obtain refills for you, as a simple courtesy, and now you just expect her to do it for you every time. I'll even wager that you go days without medication because you figure someone else is going to take care of your responsibilities for you. Parents wipe the asses of their children until they outgrow their diapers. I'm surprised I've not walked into more public restrooms and heard: "Mom! come wipe my butt!" from twenty-somethings. I mean, mom still calls in their birth control for them. So, no. You can mow your own grass or shovel your own walk ad infinitum.
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