Karen and I had been neighbors for a few years, and our daughters, Emily and Sophie, were in the same grade at school. It all started innocently enough. Karen asked if I could take Emily to school “just this once” because she had an early meeting. No problem, I thought. But that “just once” quickly became a daily request. I found myself shuttling Emily back and forth, becoming an unpaid taxi service without a hint of gratitude or an offer to return the favor.
Last week, when I was running late and asked Karen if she could take Sophie to school, she gave me a flimsy excuse. “Oh, um… I would, but there’s just not enough space in my car.” Her SUV was always empty, and I knew it was just a convenient lie. The frustration of being used for weeks without any reciprocity boiled over.
I decided it was time to teach Karen a lesson.
The next morning, as expected, Karen texted me again. “Can you take Emily to school today? I’ve got an early meeting. Thanks!”
I took a deep breath and replied, “Sure thing, Karen. No problem!”
Instead of heading straight to the school, I drove to the other side of town, to a quaint little café I’d heard about. I parked the car and took Emily inside for a hot chocolate and a muffin. We sat down and chatted, enjoying the morning. Emily was surprised but seemed to appreciate the change of pace.
After our little detour, I drove Emily to school, arriving 30 minutes late. As I pulled up to the school, I saw Karen’s face peeking through the car window, clearly anxious and impatient.
I smiled as Emily got out and waved goodbye. “See you later, Emily,” I called.
Karen approached the car, her face a mix of confusion and annoyance. “What took you so long?” she snapped. “I’m late for my meeting!”
I leaned back in the driver’s seat and said, “Oh, I just thought I’d take a little detour. Emily and I had a nice chat at the café. It was a nice change of pace.”
Karen’s face turned red. “Are you kidding me? I needed Emily at school on time!”
I shrugged casually. “You know, Karen, sometimes it’s nice to give a little bit of flexibility in life, don’t you think? Maybe next time you could try to return the favor when I’m in a pinch.”
Without waiting for her response, I drove off, feeling a sense of satisfaction. Karen called me several times that day, but I ignored her calls.
The following day, Karen approached me with a noticeably subdued demeanor. “I’m really sorry about yesterday,” she said, her voice lacking its usual edge. “I realize I’ve been taking advantage of you, and I should have offered to help you out too. Can we start over?”
I nodded, appreciating the gesture. “Of course. Let’s try to make it more balanced from now on.”
From that day forward, Karen was more considerate about carpooling and made sure to offer help whenever I needed it. It took a harsh lesson to correct the imbalance, but things eventually settled into a more respectful and reciprocal arrangement.
