Looking after neighbours suitcase

If my husband came home and said he’d agreed for a random neighbour to keep their packed suitcases in our house before they go on holiday in several days time I’d think he’s lost his fucking mind.

This is the most bizarre thread I’ve seen on MN this week.
Why would anyone wish to leave their packed suitcases with a neighbour?
why does the neighbour need so many cases - is she embarking on a six-moth round the world cruise?
Why would you say yes to such a frankly ridiculous request?
Why didn’t you ask your neighbour why she thought you’d want to babysit her luggage?

Completely bonkers.

What's not like that?

It's not like that.

It's certainly a strange request. Maybe she's hoping OP will put something extra special in one of her cases? A cake perhaps? Who knows?

Forgot about this! Mother has this issue too, so she insists I drive them to the station and not get a taxi (which father would prefer) because otherwise the taxi driver will know that they are going away and then burgle them. Most of the taxi drivers in our town are South Asian, so I am sure there is some racism in there too, although she would deny that until she is blue in the face.

I am very curious! Please update us with why she wants to keep them at yours.

It could be something boring like she is having work done on the house while she is away so is staying at a hotel the night before going away and doesn't want to lug the suitcases with her.

Or...... she could have been an intelligence officer, deeply embedded in the cold war. She wants to share her secrets, so is leaving all her files with you before vanishing into the night.

😂😂😂

@ShakyBake
Why does she have to keep her suitcases at your house?
Because they contain something they shouldn't and if she gets caught
She'll claim that whatever is found is yours
And they came from your residence
Or she's escaping DV/leaving her old life behind and doesn't want anyone to know

Mumsnet gets weirder and weirder every day.

Unless shes off on some deluxe cruise, why 3 suitcases. At 70, im baffled as to why shed want them stored at yours, or she could be a gangsta granny drug lord??

This seems more plausible than something dodgy?

The amazing thing is, several of the very different scenarios suggested all seem to have some plausibility!

Not unreasonable at all. I'm just surprised at your lack of curiosity.

Just here for the update

My mother is in her 70's and going on holiday is such a fucking weird thing for her.

She is almost certainly ND (where the rest of us get it from). She has decided that she loves holidays, probably because her parents genuinely did and she wants to be like them as that is "how things should be done". She makes a huge deal out of holidays. The reality is that packing, preparing etc gets her so stressed and she goes totally OTT. There was one holiday where my sister had to help her with packing as she couldnt fit the 48 (yes you read that right) tops into her case for a 10 day holiday. DSis managed to get her down to 27. Then she is like a cat on a hot tin roof the whole time they are away, all she is doing is counting down to when they go home. Father has tried to talk her out of holidays but she wont back down because she "enjoys its" except she doesnt and neither does he.

After her case is packed the day before she is like a caged lion, prowling the house and getting more and more stressed. If my father puts the cases in the garage (neither can drive anymore) then she is a lot less stressed because the reminder isnt there anymore. She is starting with dementia but she has been like this as long as I can remember, DSis and dreaded holidays due to how she would be at times.

So maybe it is something like that. Three cases seems a lot, and sounds like something Mother would do so I am definitely feeling a similarity.

I do wish you'd come back and explain the bit about her being in 70s. I am in my 70s too and I'm completely puzzled by it. Do you think 70+ people are harmless, so she couldn't possibly be a gun runner or a drug mule? Oh yes she could. Have you seen how troublesome my generation is: chucking stuff over paintings, blocking roads, bedecking themselves in keffiyah to shout at more rational people? Those suitcases could bring you a whole world of grief.

This is very strange. As others have said is she running away from an abusive partner at the age of 70?

I’ve stored a couple of large Christmas/birthday presses for neighbour but only about 3 in 20 years

you need to find out her thoughts behind this and let us know

But actually IS a blazing row an overreaction? Because if my husband, say, said 'Oh, I've agreed that the farmer's donkey can live in our bathroom for a week starting Monday' then that's the same level of stupid and yes, there would be a blazing bloody row!

I wondered this too. Is she maybe one of these people who cannot stand the appalling untidiness of a stray teaspoon on the side, so the idea of three cases in her living room - even just overnight and obviously there for a purpose - fills her with horror?!

Either that or she knows she always procrastinates and leaves her packing until the very last minute, so she reasons that, if she sets a firm deadline and forces herself to have it all completely ready for the night before and then temporarily inaccessible to her, she draws a line under it in good time and can then relax without stress for the last night.

I'm 68 and your neighbour is fucking weird or up to something dodgy!

🤣🤣🤣

It's definitely an odd (and slightly cheeky IMO) request... but a blazing row is also a major overreaction.

This is so funny

Generally speaking - if someone asks you to do something ridiculous your first question should be 'Why?'. Not 'oh yeah, sure, I'll do that really stupid thing you're suggesting and no of course I won't ask any questions. I'll just do it'.
Are you fully in possession of your faculties OP?