ACROSS AMERICA — Most of us want to be good neighbors others can count on, but what do you do about the person who takes advantage of your generosity by constantly asking for favors?
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It’s one thing to help out a neighbor who has a sick family member by picking up a prescription and a few comfort foods when you’re at the grocery store. But what if, long after the neighbors recovered from what ailed them, they still saw you as their personal concierge?
“Hey, I know you always go grocery shopping on Tuesdays,” the neighbor might say. “Since you have authorization to pick up my scripts from last time, it wouldn’t be out of your way to grab them, and if you can come right home, pick up some ice cream, too. I like vanilla bean the best, but will take whatever vanilla they have. If it’s off-brand, I don’t want it.”
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Or, say your neighbor has cats and is out of town a lot, but doesn’t like to board them while he’s gone.
Sure, you said that one time, not knowing one of the cats was old and sick and your worried neighbor would text you about it several times a day. You didn’t complain, and now the neighbor guy just assumes you’ll hop over to his house and take care of the cats when he’s gone. He doesn’t even ask anymore. He just tells you when he’ll be gone and what he needs from you.
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You get the drift. How do you politely say no to neighbors who ask annoying favors? Or should you just tell them the unvarnished truth, that they passed the point of being annoying about two months ago and move happily along, knowing you’re no longer the designated cat sitter or errand runner?
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Block Talk is an exclusive Patch series on neighborhood etiquette — and readers provide the answers. If you have a topic you’d like for us to consider, email [email protected] with “Block Talk” as the subject line.
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