Hidden Musings, Recited Tales

knock, knock, knock

"Now who can that be?" I think grumpily as I head towards the door coughing and sniffling. "I hope that it is Kristen suprising me with fluffy timewasting novels."

I peer through the peephole, "Oh drat, its my crazy cat lady neighbor, and I can't pretend I'm not home because she can here my walking downstairs." BIG SIGH.

"Hi B., you may not want to get too close because I am really sick and leaving in about 10 minutes to go to the doctor" (Note my trying to give her the polite social cues; this woman can talk for HOURS).

"Yea, I can't afford to get sick right now. I have a huge favor to ask you..." Uh-oh.
"I finally took my Sophie [a cat] to the vet, and he told me she has diabetes. I need to start giving her shots two times a day. So, I am going on Saturday to learn how to give her shots, and the vet said whoever is watching her should probably also learn how to do it."

Why had a ever agreed to feed this woman's cats? I should have known just from the way she talks about them that this would not be an easy task. Tyler and I still laugh about the "to do" list she leaves me whenever she leaves town for a few days. She seriously wants me to go down TWICE a day to change the litterbox? Give me a break. I try to be a good neighbor and all, but sheesh. Now, she did ask me to feed her cats this coming week because she is going to have her thyroid removed, and even though she is a little neurotic, I am okay with helping her out. However, giving her cat daily shots... thats taking it a bit too far!

"So you want me to give Sophie shots? B., I really am not comfortable with that."

"I understand, I am not comfortable with shots either. But the vet says that its really easy, and after she gets used to it she will come to you to get them."

Yea. Right.

"Look, B., I really don't think I can do it. I don't mind feeding your cats for you, but with my school schedule I come to your house really early, and really late (and only once a day, although I'm not going to say that out loud), and even if I was comfortable with giving her shots, I can't commit to keeping her on a schedule."

"Well, I don't know about the schedule part. I mean, I don't want to push this, but I am really in a bind... "

Feeling guilty. "Well, if you want to find out some more information, we can talk about it again, but right now I don't think it is going to work out for me."

"Ok, well, I'm going on Saturday to learn, and so you can let me know if you can come with me. I go into the hospital on Wednesday and they said I will be there for three days."

So, not only are you pushing me to do something I am uncomfortable with, now you want me to spend part of my Saturday at the vet learning how to do it? I think not.

"Ok, I'll think about it, but it may be good of you can think of a plan B. And I'm sorry, but I've got to keep getting ready to go to the doctor. See you later."

B. walks away looking extremely unhappy because I have not given in and said yes.

Ugh. Sometimes being a nice person does NOT pay off. Would you have said yes? How can I nicely say no when she asks me again, because I can almost guarantee she WILL ask again!