So , This morning at 0630 Im pulling out the bins as its always Monday and I can hear shouting coming from across the road .
‘Its abit early for all that ‘ I say to myself , and carry on dragging the wheely bin to the gate .

A man in his 60’s , wearing slippers , dressing gown and PJ’s walks up to me . ” Can I borrow your mobile please . My wife followed me out the house as I was putting out the bin and she pulled the door shut beind her”. He was shouting to get her to stop.

Its -1’C , there is ice all over the pavement and its freckin cold. He is now locked out of his home.
I give him my phone, not a problem . Expecting him t o give his misses a call and she would be back in a minute or 2.

He does not know his wifes mobile no.

After a minute of faffage asking for a phone book , pointless its a mobile . It turns out she is off on a 50 mile drive to see grandkids and he doesnt remember his sons LL either .

I am getting late for work , but he remembers his sisters LL no.

She live 300 miles away . But , she does know his wifes mobile no.

He rings , it goes to answer phone as its 0645 .

So Im left with a 60 year old in PJ’s and Slippers , locked out of his own home with no windows open as its freezzing cold and no hidden key.

WWYD ?

I left him in my flat alone with my spare key , put the kettle and some toast on and gave him my LL phone to use, and went to work . Never seen him before , dont know his name or phone no. nothing about him

Back home from work and he has gone , No thank you note (yet) and all seems to be here . Envelope with alot of cash is still on mantlepeice where i left it. Was worried about having a potential loon in my flat , but hey ho

What you did, apart from removing the drug money from the mantelpiece.

sounds like you were a good neighbour.

locked out of his own home with no windows open as its freezing cold and no hidden key.

Strange story. What sort of person walks round the streets in their PJ’s in these temps, rather than hoofing a brick through a window to get back in?

Throw your toothbrush away and get a new one.

118118 – Locksmith please!

Brilliant, I’ve been laughing my head off especially as I know you. 😆 Can just imagine the expression on your face!

You, sir, have been extremely neighbourly and kind. 🙂

What allthepies said!! +check shoes for wee.

Well . Hes popped round to return the key .
No wine
No beer
Said thanks , seemed more concerned that his wife was 2 hours late for her childminding day .
He spent an hour in flat with free run of the place, OK so i didnt turn the heating on but he had tea / coffee.
hhhmmmmmm

I’d tend to think it was nice that he thought you were being a good samaritan and wouldn’t want a reward?

Well…what a dick.

If someone did that for me, I would be round with a bottle/cans of something or other.

I’d tend to think it was nice that he thought you were being a good samaritan and wouldn’t want a reward?

Would be nice if he gave the OP the chance to turn down a reward.

…but then you’re just playing devils advocate.

If you know what i do for a job you might see the ironing .
No , Im not a locksmith

Well . Hes popped round to return the key .
No wine
No beer

So you were expecting a reward for being a decent human being? Would you not have helped if you’d known all you’d get for your troubles was a thank you? 🙄

…but then you’re just playing devils advocate.

I was. Maybe a 😉 would have been in order. I’ve already fallen foul of misunderstandigns once today 🙁

You did the right thing, don’t get upset that he hasn’t brought you a gift to say thank you. He might have the opportunity to return the favour one day.

Worth noting – if he’s in his 60s then could be he’s not aware of the materialistic iPod generation’s way of doing things and assumed that a thanks would be enough? :-p

you were being a good samaritan and wouldn’t want a reward?

This. In his day that’s just what people did.

tbh, when I (rarely) do a good deed for someone, I’m not too hung up on how pathetically grateful they are. Virtue is its own reward and all that?

If you know what i do for a job you might see the ironing .

Serial cat burglar?

Next time you help someone let them know upfront what reward you’d like, possibly need to negotiate but you’ll have the upper hand.

I dont mind really , He probably spotted the small Off Licence bottles of beer in the back room anyway and might of had a ‘coals to Newcastle ‘ moment.
Im just glad the envelope full of £20’s is still there , along with all my other junk.
He might be skint as well so happy to help him out

You did well, I would leave someone I didn’t know in my house – though I do know my neighbours.

Obvious question but what do you do for a living that might surprise?

He sounds like my neighbour.I’ve helped his daughter when they’ve gone on holiday and she’s lost her key and the only way in was a partly opened upstairs window. I’ve lent him a ladder at 5am when his roof leaked and taken in countless parcels for him…
…beer? wine?….

..NOT EVEN A BLOOMIN’ XMAS CARD MATE !!!!

Are your bikes/surf board still there? 😉

Well done mate for helping out some who you didn’t know but who needed help. Maybe he’ll send his missus round later with a little something for you

Yeah, what is this “job” of which you speak?

That was very cool of you, I’m glad you did that. He’s probably got other things to think about rather than leaving a note. you sound like a pretty chilled out person. hopefully the old man will pass it on.

Brewer of some of the finest ale in Hampshire

CB .- More worried if he had access to the garage . The replacement of all the ‘toy collection’ would be very expensive and time consuming.

He could send his wife round with a nice cake , that would be great . Or more likely send her round to tidy up , maybe some hoovering and ironing.

as above call a locksmith.

His problem is not your problem.

Singletrackmind, all of us who know you know that under that hard, rough exterior you are a beautiful, warm, kind-hearted person ( and that tv documentary was a proper hatchet job too)

You did the right thing and the result is one grateful neighbour, these are the kind of things that this country has forgotten about: Decent people doing decent things. Brings a tear to my eye.

Bet he tried on all your underwear while you were out though…. 😉

Yep you need to boil wash all of your pants, safety first.

I would have done same but not gone to work, I think.

Never seen him before , dont know his name or phone no. nothing about him

He lives over the road and you don’t know him? – is he a visitor?

Well done for letting him stay warm and safe though

I bet you his wife will pop around with something when she gets back – it’s more of a female mindset to repay favours with a wee gift. And that’s not a euphemism.

The very least the old boy could have done would have been to actually replace the toothbrush.

I’m feeling pretty guilty now because the other week when my car wouldn’t start at 5:50 a.m my neighbour (70 odd) came out with his jump leads and we got the car started. It was at this point he realised that his front door had shut, locking him out in his Jim jams. I could barely bring myself to look in my rear view mirror as I drove off to work. 😐

*his son lives six houses down but he didn’t want to wake him too early.

My neighbour and his wife were walking down our street

‘Want a lift/where you going’?

The Revolution at the national cycle centre

‘Me too’!!

Arent coincidences great 8)

I would have done what you did.

I cant wait to be a older/pensioner you can do and get away with anything. While shopping in tescos the other day a older lady wiped out a point of display at the end of isle full of spices. Just kept on shopping did not even say sorry just reversed the trolley and countinued her shop!

I would have done what you did.. and offered ale too

as above call a locksmith.

His problem is not your problem.

there you go.. that’s community spirit at it’s finest

If you lived in my street (god forbid) I would organise a street party to celebrate the puny, toxic flame that burns spluttering and dim in your forlorn soul