I love old grumpy neighbors. One such neighbor lives across the street, is retired, and if he had to list his top hobby and was honest about it, it'd be complaining.
Just a few days ago, I was walking my dog around the area and this very neighbor started talking to me. It was garbage day and he was asking if there were some lights on the driveway which somehow broke and wound up in his yard and on the street next to his yard. I knew this wasn't the case and told him of this, but he didn't seem to believe me. He obviously wanted someone to clean up the mess. A day later, with the help of family, we cleaned up the mess, even though it wasn't ours.
Yesterday, I bumped into him again as I was walking my dog and he said he owed me a thank you. I said it wasn't a problem, but again let him know the lights weren't mine. He then seem puzzled on why we cleaned up the mess, and I responded, "Oh, just being nice."
I think this made him guilty, for he gave another half-hearted thank you, before saying, "Sometimes, when the winds are 60-70 mph, an animal will get into your garbage, and bags will be flying all over the place. This has happened 2-3 times."
He just had to try and find something on which he could complain about, didn't he? It was likely due to feeling guilt for making an accusation and being wrong about it. For the record, though, I've lived here for 5 years and there have only been a handful of times during that time-frame where the winds have been gusting up to 60-70 mph, and I can't remember the last time this occurred.
Why can't some people just say, "I'm sorry" or "I was wrong" or even combine the two and utter the crazy words, "I was obviously wrong. I'm sorry about that"?
In an odd way, though, I do have to thank people like him, for they provide me with inspiration. They inspire me to, when I get up there in age, to not become just another grumpy old man.
Just a few days ago, I was walking my dog around the area and this very neighbor started talking to me. It was garbage day and he was asking if there were some lights on the driveway which somehow broke and wound up in his yard and on the street next to his yard. I knew this wasn't the case and told him of this, but he didn't seem to believe me. He obviously wanted someone to clean up the mess. A day later, with the help of family, we cleaned up the mess, even though it wasn't ours.
Yesterday, I bumped into him again as I was walking my dog and he said he owed me a thank you. I said it wasn't a problem, but again let him know the lights weren't mine. He then seem puzzled on why we cleaned up the mess, and I responded, "Oh, just being nice."
I think this made him guilty, for he gave another half-hearted thank you, before saying, "Sometimes, when the winds are 60-70 mph, an animal will get into your garbage, and bags will be flying all over the place. This has happened 2-3 times."
He just had to try and find something on which he could complain about, didn't he? It was likely due to feeling guilt for making an accusation and being wrong about it. For the record, though, I've lived here for 5 years and there have only been a handful of times during that time-frame where the winds have been gusting up to 60-70 mph, and I can't remember the last time this occurred.
Why can't some people just say, "I'm sorry" or "I was wrong" or even combine the two and utter the crazy words, "I was obviously wrong. I'm sorry about that"?
In an odd way, though, I do have to thank people like him, for they provide me with inspiration. They inspire me to, when I get up there in age, to not become just another grumpy old man.
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