An aged pensioner who lives across the way from me in a unit returned to Ireland for three months to see her reliies before she kicked the bucket and asked me to keep an eye on her place, gave me keys and insurance contacts etc and asked me to check inside now and then and also check her mailbox, although she had re-directed her mail (although she gave ample notice on her application, mail was still coming in for the next three weeks before it stopped). Not a problem says I, and except for one week when we were away and my immediate trusted neighbours filled in for me, everything was a breeze with very little effort on my part and I enjoyed being able to help out.
Well, she returned yesterday and came over to see us. As she was leaving she thanked me for looking after her place and gave me a card and left. Imagine my surprise when I opened the very nice and expensive card and inside was five $100 notes ($500). It knocked me for a six and while grateful for her generosity (she is not rich by any means, just a battler like many of us) I felt a bit sad she felt she had to pay me for what was really just something any caring helpful neighbour would do.
Knowing she would not take no for an answer if I refused the payment face to face, I wrote her a nice note and put it in an envelope addressed to her along with the $500, and took it over to her, telling her I had forgotten to give her one letter (ok, so I lied) and made an excuse to just hand it to her and go quickly.
Shortly after that I got a phone call from her saying that she had always had to pay people to look after her place when she went away and that was what she had been paying them. She insisted she wanted to give me something as it would make her feel better if she did. She suggested a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, but I told a small box of chocolates would be fine, but if it was too big or expensive I wouldn't accept it and she was happy with that. I may add that this lady doesn't own a car and her furnishings etc in her home are very basic, she doesn't even had a modern TV. Her clothing is nothing flash either and looks like she gets them 2nd hand.
What saddens me about this is that she felt she had to pay me a large sum of money for a very simple task that I was happy to do free anyway, and she had been paying this amount of money to others in her units to do it in the past who had accepted this amount. Is this what we are coming to when we can't help out people who are not wealthy and need to rely on others? Sorry for the ramble, but it just made wonder where society is going.
justcruisin01 said
01:56 PM Sep 4, 2011
Thats about the size of it Vic, todays generation will do nothing for nothing & very little for payment. I'm glad we are from the old school mate.
Pejay said
02:51 PM Sep 4, 2011
How very sad indeed Vic. When we go away, we usually buy something from the place we are going for the neighbours across the road who keep an eye on our home. But you know, when we moved down here and were closer to my Mum & Dad, they would not let Pete mow their lawns (which he loves doing) without paying him - their own son-in-law - they wouldn't take no for an answer, so they ended up getting someone else in and paying them - stubborness or pride??? But like you, it was a sad situation.
jimbo said
03:04 PM Sep 4, 2011
Well Done .Mate
Travel Bug said
03:19 PM Sep 4, 2011
I agree Vic...it is a very sad situation.
I think that most of us...our generation anyway....would help out in any way that we can, and certainly not want payment. The satisfaction of knowing that we have managed to help out and make someone's life a bit easier is payment enough.
Unfortunately, it does seem to be the direction that the world is heading in.
You handled the situation well Mate.
Happywanderer said
04:03 PM Sep 4, 2011
Keep rambling on Vic. Just shows how much she has been ripped off by others in the past when they saw a quick way to make a bit of money. Very mean and not the way most of us would have done it. I thought we could all help our neighbour without having to be paid for it. Give yourself a big pat on the back Vic.
lilly31 said
04:12 PM Sep 4, 2011
I have to comment here ... In the street where i live i have good neighbours on each side I have two ladies who live one one side alway happy to keep a eye on my place when i am away happy to feed my four legged babies as i do for them when they are away and when i was sick couple of weeks ago they came to see if i was ok because they had'nt see me and my car had been in drive way for 4 days ..and on other side i have a block of 9 flats and there are 4 flat which have long term tennets in them and it same on that side well help each other when we can have chat over fence say hello learn what has been happing .. So i say i am very lucky to live here ...BUT i have live where it dosent matter how hard you try all you can get of of people is a friendy grunt sometime
Born and raise in a time where good manners and looking out for others was the normal and right thing to do ... I to do wonder ....What we are comming to as well ....
Beth54 said
04:34 PM Sep 4, 2011
You did well Vic. It's a disgrace that people in the past have accepted that money from her.
I have a story too...my sister and b-i-l law moved to Cooloola Cove in January. The land had a shed on it and they slept in their caravan while the house was being built. Within the month they came down to Brissy for several days to visit family. (This was when we had heaps of rain in SEQ.) When they returned home, the yard had been mowed! They soon found out it was their next door neighbour. He has a mowing business and uses a ride-on mower, so he said it was no trouble to whip it around the yard. Then he said 'just let me know when you're going away and I'll keep an eye out and mow if necessary.'
They were amazed as they hadn't had neighbours like that for a long time. It's great for them to not have to worry when they go namadding.
villatranquilla said
04:39 PM Sep 4, 2011
well done Vic - good neighbours are a real treasure
Boroma577 said
04:46 PM Sep 4, 2011
Vic wrote:
What saddens me about this is that she felt she had to pay me a large sum of money for a very simple task that I was happy to do free anyway,
Maybe she did not feel that she HAD to pay you Vic but more like it was the biggest gesture of appreciation she could come up with. Food for thought!!
And I think the others had probably taken advantage of her generosity.
petengail said
05:13 PM Sep 4, 2011
Good Neighbours are lovely to have but I dont think, as some here seem to, that its a generational thing. Our neighbours are Polish immigrants, young, honest and hard working, unlike our "Aussie" nearly our age, layabouts across the street neighbours. When we are away they keep an eye on the place, and the neighbour on the other side parks one of their cars in the driveway, just so it looks like there is someone home. A fair few vegies go over the fence and some of my home brewed Scotch does also which seems to be appreciated.... Such a shame that someone seems to think that $500.00 is the going rate just to pick up a bit of mail and keep an eye out.... Good on ya Vic for returning the money... as it should be....
bill12 said
05:19 PM Sep 4, 2011
I have had the same experience.The next door neihbors cleared my front yard up after Yasi, and they wouldn,t take any money , so I gave them some coral trout, and reds, which they loved.I go away during our wet season to get away from the heat and rain.(grey nomad season). Its nice when people help each other.Bill
Sheba said
07:00 PM Sep 4, 2011
Good on you Vic. The world's a better place for you and people like you being here.
Cheers,
Sheba.
Cruising Granny said
07:08 PM Sep 4, 2011
What a sad reflection on the world, that this lady felt compelled to pay for a neighbourly kindness. I used to house-sit for a doctor and his wife in Broome. They'd both go away for work at various times, and to the UK for Christmas to visit his aging relatives for 4 weeks. I looked after their 2 dogs, and the property, and they encouraged, no, urged me to invite my friends around the an orphan's Christmas, which I did. We pooled our food, drank our bevvy of choice and wallowed in the pool under the shade cloth. It was a safe haven for me if a cyclone wandered by.. They always bought me a gift. I didn't have to pay to stay, as some house-sitters do, I didn't expect to be paid, and it was an enjoyable experience. They thought they were doing me a favour, getting me out of my van for a while, bless their hearts. What happend to "G'day mate!" And meaning it? "How's it going'" is one of my favourite greetings. Keep up the kindness. It seems to be a dying quality.
billeeeeeee said
07:14 PM Sep 4, 2011
read that Vic , sometimes my faith in Human nature, wavers, then people like U coome along , and restores it ,,,Billeeeeee
I only kind of know one neighbour,most have moved or passed away!! i wish i was back on the farm where every one knew every one and helped out all the time..
Gerty Dancer said
08:57 PM Sep 4, 2011
Goodonya Vic! Well done.
Would you like to move to Canberra and be our neighbor?
Vic said
09:06 PM Sep 4, 2011
Good to know I'm among like minded company here, restores faith in human nature like Billee says, thanks.
Hey Bileee, I'm all for that Fairy of Joy, haven't been whipped in a long time, ha ha (not really into B&D but sounds good). Love the dog and cat avatar by the way, you come up with some lulu's!
Vic said
09:08 PM Sep 4, 2011
Gerty Dancer wrote:
Goodonya Vic! Well done.
Would you like to move to Canberra and be our neighbor?
As long as you've got a heated home for me with plenty of firewood and electric blankets etc, lol! Are you still in Mucka?
Gerty Dancer said
09:39 PM Sep 4, 2011
Yes Vic, have been enjoying ourselves thoroughly, and very nice to meet the "Tezza's" too.
Theres a surprising amount to see/do here, we expected to have a few rest days but instead we've been busy having fun again!
Would recommend Mukinbudin WA to anybody!
ChiChi1 said
10:07 PM Sep 4, 2011
I am overwhelmed with the generosity of the people I met in Goodniwindi. (re my post in solo's.)
jules47 said
06:53 AM Sep 5, 2011
The neighbours in my street here are pretty good, we all look out for each other, guy next door had to stay at work (he is an outdoor educator) for about 10 days recently. I noticed his front door was open (not that unusual), but it was still open at 10pm, so other neighbour and I went to have a look, seems the lock was faulty and wouldn't work. We closed it from the inside with a chair against it, and left via the back door. Next day, the neighbour drove down 50k to where young man works, found him told him the problem, got a key from him, came back and fixed the lock. That's good neighbour at work,I reckon.
Costs nothing to be helpful - I do lots of volunteer work, and I love the interaction with all the different people I meet along the way, makes me happy, and grateful that I am able to help in some small way. That's the only payment I need.
jimricho said
07:36 AM Sep 5, 2011
I, too, am fortunate to live in a very good neighbourhood. By "good" I don't mean "up-market" (it ain't) but having very good neighbours. My next door neighbours "hold the fort" for me for up to three months at a time. Others in the area are mostly retirees (like me) or working families. My other next door neighbours are "Life without Barriers" clients and this has brought me in contact with the excellent work this organisation does.
An aged pensioner who lives across the way from me in a unit returned to Ireland for three months to see her reliies before she kicked the bucket and asked me to keep an eye on her place, gave me keys and insurance contacts etc and asked me to check inside now and then and also check her mailbox, although she had re-directed her mail (although she gave ample notice on her application, mail was still coming in for the next three weeks before it stopped). Not a problem says I, and except for one week when we were away and my immediate trusted neighbours filled in for me, everything was a breeze with very little effort on my part and I enjoyed being able to help out.
Well, she returned yesterday and came over to see us. As she was leaving she thanked me for looking after her place and gave me a card and left. Imagine my surprise when I opened the very nice and expensive card and inside was five $100 notes ($500). It knocked me for a six and while grateful for her generosity (she is not rich by any means, just a battler like many of us) I felt a bit sad she felt she had to pay me for what was really just something any caring helpful neighbour would do.
Knowing she would not take no for an answer if I refused the payment face to face, I wrote her a nice note and put it in an envelope addressed to her along with the $500, and took it over to her, telling her I had forgotten to give her one letter (ok, so I lied) and made an excuse to just hand it to her and go quickly.
Shortly after that I got a phone call from her saying that she had always had to pay people to look after her place when she went away and that was what she had been paying them. She insisted she wanted to give me something as it would make her feel better if she did. She suggested a bottle of Bailey's Irish Cream, but I told a small box of chocolates would be fine, but if it was too big or expensive I wouldn't accept it and she was happy with that. I may add that this lady doesn't own a car and her furnishings etc in her home are very basic, she doesn't even had a modern TV. Her clothing is nothing flash either and looks like she gets them 2nd hand.
What saddens me about this is that she felt she had to pay me a large sum of money for a very simple task that I was happy to do free anyway, and she had been paying this amount of money to others in her units to do it in the past who had accepted this amount. Is this what we are coming to when we can't help out people who are not wealthy and need to rely on others? Sorry for the ramble, but it just made wonder where society is going.
Thats about the size of it Vic, todays generation will do nothing for nothing & very little for payment. I'm glad we are from the old school mate.
I agree Vic...it is a very sad situation.
I think that most of us...our generation anyway....would help out in any way that we can, and certainly not want payment.
The satisfaction of knowing that we have managed to help out and make someone's life a bit easier is payment enough.
Unfortunately, it does seem to be the direction that the world is heading in.
You handled the situation well Mate.
Very mean and not the way most of us would have done it. I thought we could all help our neighbour without having to be paid for it.
Give yourself a big pat on the back Vic.
I have two ladies who live one one side alway happy to keep a eye on my place when i am away happy to feed my four legged babies as i do for them when they are away and when i was sick couple of weeks ago they came to see if i was ok because they had'nt see me and my car had been in drive way for 4 days ..and on other side i have a block of 9 flats and there are 4 flat which have long term tennets in them and it same on that side well help each other when we can have chat over fence say hello learn what has been happing ..
So i say i am very lucky to live here ...BUT i have live where it dosent matter how hard you try all you can get of of people is a friendy grunt sometime
Born and raise in a time where good manners and looking out for others was the normal and right thing to do ... I to do wonder ....What we are comming to as well ....
You did well Vic. It's a disgrace that people in the past have accepted that money from her.
I have a story too...my sister and b-i-l law moved to Cooloola Cove in January. The land had a shed on it and they slept in their caravan while the house was being built. Within the month they came down to Brissy for several days to visit family. (This was when we had heaps of rain in SEQ.) When they returned home, the yard had been mowed! They soon found out it was their next door neighbour. He has a mowing business and uses a ride-on mower, so he said it was no trouble to whip it around the yard. Then he said 'just let me know when you're going away and I'll keep an eye out and mow if necessary.'
They were amazed as they hadn't had neighbours like that for a long time. It's great for them to not have to worry when they go namadding.
Maybe she did not feel that she HAD to pay you Vic but more like it was the biggest gesture of appreciation she could come up with. Food for thought!!
And I think the others had probably taken advantage of her generosity.
Good on you Vic. The world's a better place for you and people like you being here.
Cheers,
Sheba.
I used to house-sit for a doctor and his wife in Broome. They'd both go away for work at various times, and to the UK for Christmas to visit his aging relatives for 4 weeks.
I looked after their 2 dogs, and the property, and they encouraged, no, urged me to invite my friends around the an orphan's Christmas, which I did.
We pooled our food, drank our bevvy of choice and wallowed in the pool under the shade cloth.
It was a safe haven for me if a cyclone wandered by..
They always bought me a gift. I didn't have to pay to stay, as some house-sitters do, I didn't expect to be paid, and it was an enjoyable experience.
They thought they were doing me a favour, getting me out of my van for a while, bless their hearts.
What happend to "G'day mate!" And meaning it? "How's it going'" is one of my favourite greetings.
Keep up the kindness. It seems to be a dying quality.
read that Vic , sometimes my faith in Human nature, wavers, then people like U coome along , and restores it ,,,Billeeeeee
Goodonya Vic! Well done.
Would you like to move to Canberra and be our neighbor?
Hey Bileee, I'm all for that Fairy of Joy, haven't been whipped in a long time, ha ha (not really into B&D but sounds good). Love the dog and cat avatar by the way, you come up with some lulu's!
As long as you've got a heated home for me with plenty of firewood and electric blankets etc, lol! Are you still in Mucka?
Theres a surprising amount to see/do here, we expected to have a few rest days but instead we've been busy having fun again!
Would recommend Mukinbudin WA to anybody!
Costs nothing to be helpful - I do lots of volunteer work, and I love the interaction with all the different people I meet along the way, makes me happy, and grateful that I am able to help in some small way. That's the only payment I need.