I’m stuck in an ever escalating cycle of British politeness

[Vapidothefirst]

Two weeks ago I took a parcel in for a neighbour

Two days later he came round with some homemade wine to say thanks

I then returned the favour with blackberry jam

I came home yesterday and he had cut all my logs up for me and put them in the woodshed and left a note saying thanks for the jam

Today I took all his washing in because it was chucking it down and he’d gone out

I’m genuinely afraid I’m now stuck in a cycle of ever increasing British politeness that won’t end until one of us dies or queue jumps in front of the other

Odds on I come home and he’s painting the fucking house for me or something

That's made me laugh. You both sound like great neighbours

Just relax and enjoy the random nature of where your lives will now go.

Or you could make a game of trying to put thank him to the point where one of you literally takes a bullet for the other

You’re lucky to have such a lovely neighbour!!

i love this. you have no choice but to move.

That's brilliant. I love the idea of it escalating with ever more dramatic gestures...

Your legally obliged to get married and iron his underpants if you do one more deed

Brilliant!

That's so cute

Are you both married or could this be a burgeoning romance...?

yeah, i think you're going to have to move

He’s about 80. So no I don’t see marriage on the cards.

What makes it worse is that I over boiled the jam and didn’t realise until I tried some this morning and it was like concrete. You could probably slice it. And he hasn’t said anything but is probably wondering how to politely throw it out without me noticing

thats funny
I have just had a similar thing, nice thing was that till it started we were only on nodding terms

Please keep us up to date with how this carries on, you both sound like wonderful neighbours!

‘One of you takes a bullet for the other’ 😂😂

😂😂it's like sending thank you notes for the thank you note - my mum has form for this!

This is great. I'm shamelessly lurking to see what the next thank you gesture will be.

You know you’re going to have to hand over your first born at this rate 👀

OP honestly I don't know why you're dilly dallying, shilly shallying about on MN.

You should be out there trimming his hedge or summat

Think of the polite or else you'll have to sleep with Boris Johnson or forfeit your British nationality

Hahahahaha

Well now you’ve tasted the jam and he’s done the logs you’ll have to make & take him some sloe gin as an apology/thank you

I love this. you have no choice but to move.

I would so totally do this!

You've moved into good neighbourly territory now. I think you're past the politeness cycle.

It can be awkward though. Last time I went to dinner I sent a thank you card. The person said thank you for sending the card. I thanked them for thanking me.... etc.

I think you’ll have to marry him. Inheriting his house is the only way to end this.

You could always end it by going round and breaking their windows....