I didn't think this was so strange at the time.

[conuly]

But my sister was a little astonished. She asked how it is that things that don't bother most people, like talking on the phone* bug me a LOT, but I can go up to people and ask for all sorts of strange things without batting an eye.

See, a few weeks ago it was drizzling as I left the house with Evangeline to drop her off at school. Now, I really hate umbrellas (I *really* do), so unless it's really torrential, I don't bother with them. Eva's last year teacher kept offering me umbrellas in misty weather, and I finally had to explain that it's not lack of funds it's simple antipathy. Which she didn't understand, but it was better than her thinking I'm incredibly impoverished. Evangeline had a raincoat, for crying out loud! What need had she of umbrellas?

But I digress. We had no umbrella that day, and no real raincoat either, and just as we passed Ana's school the drizzle turned into a downpour. I should've seen that coming. I hadn't seen it coming, but I *did* see Ana's school counselor entering the building, so I ditched Evangeline, darted to the woman, and asked her for her umbrella. I mean, she was going inside! She didn't need it anymore! (Plus, it was broken and wouldn't close properly, so she probably would've ditched it now that I think about it.)

I got back to Eva and handed her the umbrella just as the skies *really* opened up.

Eva: Connie! Why do you have to do something weird and embarrassing every single week?
Me: Shut up. You're dry, aren't you?

I got totally sopping wet, by the way, and it took me the whole day to dry my clothes because the drier was broken so I had to hang them loosely over the oven on warm. The week before I'd hitched a ride with a family with kids in Eva's uniform on the grounds that they probably wouldn't do any harm with their kindergarteners in the car. This was also apparently "weird", and it was "weird" today when I asked my neighbors with the huge untended yard (they have several children) if I could have their leaves for my compost.

Well, on the last the neighbors probably think it's weird as well, but given that last week I backed them up to their mother when the supermarket called and told her they'd been wildly misbehaving (the store wasn't completely wrong, but the account was greatly exaggerated) it's really the least they can do for me. (And honestly, I only spoke up because I was so relieved *I* didn't have to tattle on them! They were rambunctious, but I saw the whole exchange between them and the manager and the manager really overreacted. But I would've had to tell her if the store hadn't called, and I was so happy at being relieved of that unpleasant duty that I thought I'd spread the joy around a bit.)

Anyway, the end result of this winding post is this: a. I'd be glad to take your leaves, onion skins, and other "brown" compost materials off your hands for you and b. that's not so weird to ask, is it?

* Regarding phone calls, I have only these words to say: "She's one to talk!"

Comments

[sayga.livejournal.com]

I guess I wouldn't think anything of it if my neighbor asked me for leaves. I have considered asking the neighbor if I can go mow the neighbor's lawn because they don't care about their weeds, but I do (they blow weed seeds into my yard!), but thought it might be viewed as mildly offensive rather than helpful. I guess the umbrella thing might be weird but I don't know if I understand your whole story: she was going into the school and you were going past or out, but what about when she needed to leave? Did you bring it back? But! Kids will think you are embarrassing no matter what, so I wouldn't worry about THAT.

[conuly]

It really got bad really fast. Nobody was going back out in the rain. If I'd thought she needed it more than I did, I would not have asked :)

But I *did* attempt to give it back, only to be rebuffed with "Oh, nevermind, we have a whole box of them!"

[rantinan.livejournal.com]

i got the opposite growing up "how is it you can have hours long phone conversations wiht a persion you cant strign a sentence together face to face with'

lawl. as for doign something embarassing.. yeah... stuff once a week, ifi can get away wiht less than once a day im a happy

[elenbarathi.livejournal.com]

Oh fiddlesticks, none of that was 'weird'. Girls her age are just constantly plotzing over the mortifying weirdness of their grown-ups. LOL, asking your neighbors for their leaves is nothing; if you lived in the country you might be asking if you could come over with a bucket and shovel for some of their cow pies.

Seattle's got the rainiest reputation of any city in the U.S. and people don't use umbrellas that much; raincoats really work better, especially when it's windy.

[liannas-mom.livejournal.com]

I steal (with permission) my neighbors leaves for mulching/compost. So not weird ;)