My Neighbor Kept Borrowing My Applia
The Broken Mixer
My neighbor Denise often borrowed my things and returned them late, dirty, or damaged. The biggest problem came when she borrowed my cream-colored KitchenAid mixer,
a gift from my mother in 1989. After Denise returned it covered in frosting, the motor stopped working.
A repair technician, Greg, said the motor had overheated from being overloaded. The repair cost $347.
When I asked Denise to pay, she replied, “I’m not paying $347 for a mixer from the 1980s. You should replace it anyway.”
Setting Boundaries
I paid for the repair but decided things had to change. When Denise later wanted to borrow more items,
I created a simple agreement requiring everything to be returned clean, undamaged, and on time, plus a $350 refundable deposit.
A Lesson Learned
Denise eventually agreed, returned everything properly, and apologized. I accepted. The experience taught us both that generosity is important, but so are clear boundaries.
