Can I Borrow????

So, as I sit here looking out my front window watching the adorable little quail family cruise around I think to myself, "Am I a mean person?" I don't quite know the answer, I guess it is highly possible that I am. It is equally possible that some people are just plain rude.

BACKGROUND
I feel that the hubby and I are fairly generous people. We don't have a lot, (hubby hasn't had a job in the past 4 years, law school, and as previously mentioned I am a teacher), but we try to think of others and give when we can. So, the entire inner struggle began about a month ago. A male who happens to live in close proximity to us came by to show his new mountain bike to dear hubby. During the conversation the need for shock oil came up. My dear beloved quickly offered some of his (2 different unopened containers I might add). Both males then ventured down to the "gear room" (we have a lot of sporting gear as a result of a previous job of the hubby). The bike was oiled the spouse mentioned that one container would not be used and could be kept. The other male said great and took both. WOW!

Shortly after this visit the female also living in close proximity comes by and asks my hubby if we know anyone who has a baby carrying backpack. Now here is where it gets interesting. We have not been blessed/cursed with children. We do happen to have a very expensive (remember we are not affluent) baby backpack purchased during the time of the previous mentioned job. This backpack has been saved for 4 years hoping we might finally be able to have children and use it. My hubby knows that the other male would have seen this in the "gear room" so says that we do. The female then asks is they can use it. My hubby decides to let them take it on the day hike as it has been made to sound. He then proceeds to go and fetch it. The female says don't get it now we’ll come later. Turns out that they are going on a week trip to a very hot and sandy location. When the male came to pick it up he says, "Is this thing hard to figure out?" My hubby says in a short tone, "I don't know we haven't used it!" The male says, "Great, Thanks!" WOW! We let them take it all the while quite disturbed about the matter. Call us pushovers, but think hard about how you would really respond in an entrapment like that. So the backpack returns mostly unharmed. The hubby and I decide that we will limit our contact with this male and female and be prepared to say, "We aren't comfortable with lending that." upon future encounters. Then we try to put the issue behind us. I had even wrestled with whether or not to blog it. Then this morning happened.

CAKE TOPPER
Today I am out taking care of the flowers. While watering I’m chatting with a neighbor. The previously mentioned female comes over joining the conversation and says, “I was going to come over last night and borrow a cute shirt from you, but your car was gone.” Once again I am not prepared for the boldness. Out of surprise I say, “Which one?” She then says, “I don’t know I just wanted to look through your closet and see what I liked.” WOW, WOW, WOW! All I could think to say was, “Yeah, I wasn’t home.” Maybe I am mean and selfish for not wanting people to come and pick what they “like” from my stuff. I can live with that. I just need to work on being rude back.

I guess I should be thankful that nobody has asked, “Can I borrow your breast pump?” Oh wait, I don’t have one yet!