Friendly Neighbor

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(Ok, so I guess this is my new question post of the day... I searched ILX and could only find a thread about redneck neighbors, so here it goes...)

I live in a duplex with my bf. The man who lives below us has shoveled our walk at least 5 times (probably more) this winter. We share a front porch with him, but we have separate stairs leading up to our door and he shovels those too, as well as the sidewalk below.

I keep saying, "We really should do something to thank him..." but I'm stumped on what to do. All we've really done is say thank you (when/if we see him). The last time we saw him shoveling, my bf went out and said, "Listen, I'm making a run for the store, would you like me to get you something?", but he declined the offer.

So, would it be too old-fashioned to bring down chocolate chip cookies to him or something? I really don't know anything about him, except that he goes jogging, likes to drink Gatorade, and hasn't complained about us playing loud music in the year or so that we've lived there.

Ok. Lots of ideas, please.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:28 (twenty-three years ago)

Definitely take something down to him. He's been so *kind*.

― Lara (Lara), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:31 (twenty-three years ago)

buy him a bobby brown cd.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Bake him a cake.

I always wondered, what exactly is a duplex? and what is a tractone? (well, that's what it sounds like Christian Slater calls them in Pump up the volume)

― chris (chris), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:33 (twenty-three years ago)

Duplex:
From the outside, our house looks like any other 2-story brick home, except that it has two front doors. One door leads into the 1st story, where our neighbor lives. Our door opens to a stairwell taking us up to the 2nd floor. You can not access one floor from the other inside. Each floor has its own kitchen, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc.

I have no idea what a tractone is and I work in real estate.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:37 (twenty-three years ago)

It would be very old-fashioned to bring him homemade cookies -- so do it.

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:38 (twenty-three years ago)

Get him loads of snow and leave it in front of his house.

― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:38 (twenty-three years ago)

Maisonettes.

― Ed (dali), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:38 (twenty-three years ago)

Then again, someone you don't know is more likely to eat something that was bought in a shop. I know I wouldn't eat anything that someone had cooked until I had a good look at their kitchen.

― Lara (Lara), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:39 (twenty-three years ago)

A bottle of brandy to warm him up.

Tract Home = House in a suburban housing development that features a limited number of house plans resulting in streets where houses all look alike.

― No One (SiggyBaby), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:40 (twenty-three years ago)

For the record, I don't live in a tract home then. THose are dumb.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:41 (twenty-three years ago)

baking is the best way to say thank you

― Horace Mann (Horace Mann), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:46 (twenty-three years ago)

Ahhh. That makes me think of Half Baked.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:51 (twenty-three years ago)

Yeah, bake something, even if he doesn't like it or eat it he'll appreciate the thought.

― smee (smee), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 14:55 (twenty-three years ago)

Uh, shovel your own snow?

― frank p. jones (frank p. jones), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:13 (twenty-three years ago)

Have you considered erotic rewards?

― Mike Hanle y (mike), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:15 (twenty-three years ago)

Ew, old people sex, ew!

― smee (smee), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:16 (twenty-three years ago)

next time it snows, hide treasure in the drift

or pies < / rainy >

― mark s (mark s), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:18 (twenty-three years ago)

You could but him a new shovel?

― Lara (Lara), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:20 (twenty-three years ago)

You could shovel him a new but.

Sorry.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:23 (twenty-three years ago)

Ew, old people sex, ew!
Hmm... I never said he was old. Actually, he looks to be in his late 40s.

Uh, shovel your own snow?
This would require buying a shovel, which I guess I could do... But wouldn't it be kind of silly to rush out and do some preemptive shoveling to keep him from doing us a favor? I don't know. I guess if I were a really good person I would try to shovel HIS stairs too before he gets to doing it himself. Instead, I prefer to stay indoors when it's snowy out.

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:25 (twenty-three years ago)

I think it was the offer to go and buy groceries that made me think he was old. Kinda thing you do for old folk innit?

― smee (smee), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:26 (twenty-three years ago)

Woops. I've soiled my slippers again today.

― Lara (Lara), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:27 (twenty-three years ago)

The offer to buy groceries was appropriate as the roads were terribly icey, but bf had to drive in to pick up something from his office anyway.

― Sarah MCLusky (coco), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Build him a snowman!

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Wasn't a criticism, just trying to trace what it was that gave me the mental image of your neighbour as an old codger, honest.

― smee (smee), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:33 (twenty-three years ago)

There's no more appropriate gift than a lap dance. (Maybe a fruit basket. MAYBE.)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 15:44 (twenty-three years ago)

If he's nice enough to shovel your drive, maybe he'll be cool with home-baked goodies. But if you're not sure, why not make your own gift basket? I did that for christmas. You can get baskets cheaply from pound stores, and just buy some posh little things (coffee, mini jams, oat cakes), cover it with clingfilm or plastic and tie it up with ribbon. I still can't believe that people pay delis £25 for a tiny little selection of crackers and pate. Durrrr.

― elisabeth k, Wednesday, 19 February 2003 16:08 (twenty-three years ago)

In his forties = still young and sexy. No, really, it does.

― Martin Skidmore (Martin Skidmore), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 19:23 (twenty-three years ago)

How 'bout a fruit basket that contains a coupon for a complimentary lap dance?

― oops (Oops), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 19:28 (twenty-three years ago)

Give him $275,000.

― Skottie, Wednesday, 19 February 2003 19:29 (twenty-three years ago)

Buffalo Bill likes fruitbaskets.

― Chris V. (Chris V), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 19:30 (twenty-three years ago)

Offer services as a surrogate mother for his child at reduced rates.

― JeremyZag, Wednesday, 19 February 2003 19:32 (twenty-three years ago)

Give him $275,000.
Hmm... Yes, that seems about fair... (*gets out checkbook and dots all I's with hearts*)

― Sarah McLusky (coco), Wednesday, 19 February 2003 19:59 (twenty-three years ago)

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