DEAR MISS MANNERS: How long does one need to keep something that is left behind at your house and ensure it’s in the same condition when returned?
For example, a cooler, which its owner forgot when they left dinner in a huff because they got mad at their brother (whole other story there).
I’ve made repeated attempts to get them to come get it, as I cannot drive due to medical conditions. I do not have a garage, so I kept it inside my home for a long time. The owner eventually said to keep it outside and they will get it when they can. Well, it’s covered in pollen and sometimes collects rain, so I keep having to clean it.
Do I even have a responsibility to make sure it is returned in good condition when I have tried to return it?
GENTLE READER: Once you have asked that the item be reclaimed, the item — and also the person to whom it belongs — is on a deadline.
The length of that deadline will depend on the value of the item to the owner, how much of an imposition it is on you to store it, and your relationship to the owner — any of which may change over time.
Although Miss Manners does not limit the value of an item to its monetary value, she presumes that a cooler can have little sentimental value, and that it takes up space. As your fondness for the owner diminishes, so, too, may the cleanings.
(Please send your questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com; to her email, [email protected]; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)
COPYRIGHT 2023 JUDITH MARTIN
DISTRIBUTED BY ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION
1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106; 816-581-7500
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