My neighbor borrowed my lawnmower and returned it with the blade dull as butter

Back in June, I let my neighbor across the street use my mower while his was in the shop. He brought it back two days later, all washed off and looking fine, but when I went to cut my grass that weekend, it basically just folded the blades over instead of cutting. I checked the blade and it was completely nicked up and dull, like he'd hit rocks or maybe a metal pipe. I never said anything because I didn't want to start a fight, but I spent $18 on a new blade and I've kept the mower locked in my shed ever since. He's asked to borrow it two more times and I just said it's broken. Has anyone else had a neighbor ruin something and then pretend it never happened?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_lucas28d ago

Respectfully, you kind of brought that on yourself by not saying something the first time. If you had just told him "hey man you dulled my blade" he either would've offered to fix it or you'd know he's a jerk and could stop lending him stuff with a clear conscience.

knight.mason27d agoTop Commenter

Yeah, I've got a real talent for learning things the hard way, usually after I've already ruined something.

logan70527d ago

The whole point of lending stuff to a neighbor is building goodwill, not keeping a ledger of who owes what. You think that $18 blade is worth the awkwardness of having to confront the guy and make him feel like a bad person over a mistake? Most people don't know how to sharpen a lawnmower blade and probably don't even think about it. If you call him out, now he's defensive and your relationship is weird every time you see him. Plus, now you know not to lend him the mower again, which is the same outcome as telling him off, just without the drama. Keeping the peace in my neighborhood is worth way more than the cost of a new blade and a little inconvenience.