My neighbour has decided that she can ask for anything. All she has to do now is move in with me.
I need an outside perspective. Heres the situation: my daughter, Lily, is friends with a boy from next door, Jack, who is a few years older. I sometimes meet Jacks mother, Mrs. Thompson, but I wouldnt call her a friend.
We start chatting more often because of the children. We meet during walks, she hands me clothes that are too small for her son, and I return them, always bringing along juices and treats for her kid as a thankyou. Eventually I stop accepting anything from her; it seems easier to buy everything myself than feel obliged.
The casual strolls turn into a strange routine. Mrs. Thompson begins to ask me for things regularly. What starts as a daily request becomes, Give me a cup of tea! If someone loves tea, they should buy it, not beg for it every morning. She drops by uninvited, and whenever she sees Lilys toys she swoons, taking a few to play with at her house. She wants everything and has already taken a lot from us.
She never invites herself over, claiming her mother is ill, even though her mother lives in a separate bedroom. She doesnt hesitate to ask for medication when Jack is sick, demanding items youd find in any ordinary firstaid cupboard. Sometimes she even asks for things for herself. I cant understand how anyone lives like that. A simple feverreducer should be in every mums cabinet. She hands over almost empty packets and bottles, and those were bought for my baby, which I can no longer give to him.
And it doesnt stop there. She regularly asks whether we have food for her son, yet I never ask anyone else for anything. I cook for my baby and thats it. She constantly uses our shopping trolley without asking. She always wants what she doesnt have, and theres always something missing for her.
One day her brazen behaviour shocks me. When my whole family is ill, I get a call from Mrs. Thompson saying shell bring over a pot of tea, but shell be with her son. I love children, but Im fed up with other peoples kids wandering into our home like shoppers, rummaging through Lilys things and picking what they want to play with. I tell her were all sick and could pass the germs to her. I should have told her we werent inviting her.
Her visits never come with the polite May we come in? She just shows up and demands, Give me that. It doesnt matter whether Im busy or whether I feel like giving her something. Its as if shes taking over my personal space.
I havent called her in ages, nor have I invited her for a walk, but she still rings me. One of my friends says I have only two options: keep tolerating her rudeness or cut off contact completely. I dont want to argue with her; the kids are friends and we live close together. Soon well be taking them to school together, and Im not sure how to handle a dispute.
