The Broken Mixer

My neighbor Denise often borrowed my things and returned them late, dirty, or damaged. The biggest problem came when she borrowed my cream-colored KitchenAid mixer,

a gift from my mother in 1989. After Denise returned it covered in frosting, the motor stopped working.

A repair technician, Greg, said the motor had overheated from being overloaded. The repair cost $347.

When I asked Denise to pay, she replied, “I’m not paying $347 for a mixer from the 1980s. You should replace it anyway.”

Setting Boundaries

I paid for the repair but decided things had to change. When Denise later wanted to borrow more items,

I created a simple agreement requiring everything to be returned clean, undamaged, and on time, plus a $350 refundable deposit.

A Lesson Learned

Denise eventually agreed, returned everything properly, and apologized. I accepted. The experience taught us both that generosity is important, but so are clear boundaries.