my neighbor just came over

No one has ever come and borrowed a cup of sugar from me either, come to think of it. What's it like?

Well, I thought it went rather smoothly.

You know how it is when you clean out the lint thingie in the dryer?

Not so much different than that.

Hmmm, although...that might not be a good comparison.

A year or so ago a good friend of mine shared with me how when he was a kid he loved to be the one to clean out the lint thing.

About 4 relatives all lived next to each other, and he was in and out of their houses all day. He went into his aunts house, and she was leaned over into the drier.

He ran and yelled "let me! let me!"

When he got up to her he realized she'd died and fallen into the drier.

So now that's what I think about when I clean the lint out of the drier.

So, I guess comparing that to borrowing a cup of sugar isn't quite right.

Oh, okay. So if it ever happens to me I'll be sure to have the appropriate reaction. Seriously though, I think things like that are kind of a thing of the past. Seems more and more people stay to themselves.

Oh my! That couldn't have been a good experience.

my grandfather died directing traffic around a dead mule.

some woman was too busy rubbernecking the mule and hit him.

she was probably on the way to the store to buy sugar.

I used to borrow back and forth with my nebbor Dee.

she had been my kitchen helper at the bar. and moved 3 doors down when I was still in town.

cup of sugar, coupla eggs. box of milk. whatever I was short of for dinner. the store is 15 miles away.

I always brought her some leftovers, and we still share a homecooked meal on occasion.

I never knew either of my grandfathers. The other once died like 2 days before I was born, and the way my mother tells it, it put her into labor.

I doubt that, she was overly dramatic.

so, I don't really feel any kid of grandfatherly attachment.

When I first heard the dead mule story I was probably about 5, and I remember looking at whoever told me thinking "That's the damndest thing I ever heard. I can't believe they are actually telling me this with a straight face."

The few times I have shared that bit of info with someone, I have always cracked up.

Have you and Dee ever made the beast with two backs?

Or, is that too personal a question?

is that a pork dish...?

It's ususally made with swinging sirloin.

So anyway

How long do you think it's appropriate to wait before I bring up getting my cup of sugar returned?

no.

I'm saving myself for marriage...

you gotta go borrow one back.

but give her a week to restock it, just in case.

Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Make sure to ask for interest, too.

Or, take it out in kind.

So, is this guy a baker?

Yeah, it's a guy, not a woman.

He works out on oil rigs, so he's not home for a week at a time.

I guess I should him him, what? 3 weeks? a month?

I'll have to mark my calendar.

Bill's only got one eye.
The other one was shot out when he was nine years old.

He was out dove shooting with his father and brother.

Who the heck actually goes to a neighbour and borrows a cup of sugar anyways, eh?

Sounds like it was really an excuse to check you out.

actually, wally answered the door, and those 2 went into the kitchen together.

I heard him saying something about salt, so I rushed in there to tell wally to make sure to give him the kosher salt.

He didn't say salt though, and they didn't know what I was talking about, so as you can imagine, confusion reigned.

I hope you asked for a written I.O.U.

You'll never see that sugar back otherwise.

I know, that's what I'm worried about.

I better find out when he's got to go back out to the oil fields.