You want to borrow what?
Apr 24th, 2010 by Peter
Last November we moved to a small rented house. It is a nice change that basically adds a small garden and a new adress but not more room unfortunately.
Of course we also got new neighbors. To one side is a young single mom with two kids, while the other is a friendly middle-aged Vietnamese family with 3 kids.
This evening our doorbell rang and I opened the door. Outside was the Vietnamese mother holding a cup. Ahh, the good old borrow some sugar routine could begin. I thought. C recently borrowed a few eggs from them, and we already seem to have established a good relationship.
I said hello and smiled politely, while the neighbor asked for my wife. Okay, woman’s issues of sorts I guessed and called for C.
As I asked the neighbor to step inside she said: “I would like to borrow a little milk”. I was almost on my way to the kitchen when she added: “from your wife”. Uhhhm what? That’s right, C is a wandering milk dispenser these days. Our kid is now about 2½ months old, and C is still breastfeeding. The kid is in good shape, so everyone can guess that C must be packing heat.
I looked at C’s facial expression. She looked surprised to say the least. I didn’t spot any discomfort though, and after a few assurances from the neighbor, we learned that the milk was intended for her 1 year old kid. Apparently the weather lately had dried out the boy’s eyes and fresh breast milk was the cure. 2 minutes later C sat with her back to the neighbor and I while she filled the cup. That left me attempting to striking up a conversation. Not that easy when you’re in a state between stunned and trying biting your lip too.
5 minutes later the neighbor was off again with a cup of the freshest milk you’ll find in town. Now I’m just wondering what she meant when she said: “borrow”.
My wife was telling my how (well, not in specific details) her friend drinks her own milk because there’s just too much of it. My wife thought that was pretty gross, but really is it more repulsive to drink the milk of a cow or human?
Well maybe I stayed too long time in China…not saying that I actually want to try – no way!
The cow/human milk thought is actually repulsive when you think about it. :-)