Around the World in 88 Years -E Book - Arthur Burt

I would oblige him whenever he would ask, but finally I came tothe place where my grace ran out. I accosted Ron, “Look! Everytime I want to use one of my tools, I have to borrow it back fromyou — my wheelbarrow, my spade, my fork, my screwdriver, mysaw! I don’t mind loaning them to you, but at least bring themback. Now, where is my spade?”Ron answered, “Well, I sent Diane across the road with it.”“How old is Diane,” I snorted? “She isn’t even five yet, is she?The spade is gone. I haven’t got it, and you haven’t got it.”Ron said he was sorry.“I’m sorry too. We have both lost my spade.” Rightly or wrongly,I was finished with this borrowing. “Listen,” I said, “You and Iwill be good friends if we keep each to our side of the road.”That lasted for a little season, and then, bit by bit, it began again.I would relent and begin to loan him my tools with the stipulation,“Bring it back when you finish.”About this time, somebody bought me a new wheelbarrow. Roncrossed the road and inquired, “Have you got a new wheelbarrow,Mr. Burt?”“Yes,” I answered. “Keep your hands off it, Buddy.” I loaned himthe old one, but it wasn’t long before he trespassed onto the newone. I went across to retrieve my new wheelbarrow and found itin his garden filled with rainwater, in the first stages of rust. Iblew my top.“Look, we are back to the same old business. I loan you stuff...”He was coming over every Thursday, borrowing five shillings sohe could take the bus to work on Friday when he would getpaid, and so on. It became a regular practice. If I happened to beout and he couldn’t borrow his Thursday money, he would beupset and complain, “You were out and I couldn’t borrow thefive shillings” ...as if he had a right to it. I had another explosion.This cycle continued, on and off and then off and on.During a period when we were each keeping to our own side ofthe road, I had a mechanical problem with my little Hillman truck.101