My neighbor Denise had borrowed almost everything from me over the years—my ladder, pressure washer, slow cooker, cooler, and roasting pan.
Things always came back late, dirty, or damaged.
I kept forgiving her because I didn’t want to create problems with a neighbor.
Then she asked for the one thing I treasured most: my late mother’s 1989 stand mixer.
“It was my mom’s, so I’d rather not lend it.”
Denise laughed.
“I’ll be careful. It’s just one cake.”
I gave in.
Four days later, she left it on my porch without even knocking.
It was covered in dried cream.
When I plugged it in, the motor made a terrible noise and stopped.
I confronted Denise, expecting an apology.
Instead, she said, “You should buy a new one. That thing is ancient. It ruined my cake.”
She even blamed me.
I took the mixer to a repair shop. The technician confirmed it had been overloaded and kept running after it began struggling.
Repair cost: $347.
Denise refused to pay.
So when she came back a few days later asking to borrow my cooler, slow cooker, and folding tables for a party, I had a different answer.
I handed her a lending agreement.
Everything had to be returned clean and on time—and she needed a refundable deposit.
She was furious.
But she signed.
The items came back spotless and on time.
A few days later, the repaired mixer returned to my kitchen.
When I switched it on, it sounded exactly like it had for 36 years.
Denise never borrowed it again.
Sometimes, you don’t need to argue with someone who takes advantage of your kindness.
You simply have to give them a reason to respect it. ❤️