My brother

[wdfifteen]

I bought my mother's house so I could rent it to my brother. It's not that he couldn't have bought it - he is just so mechanically inept he knew he could never remodel it. Once it's finished he'll buy it from me. Four years ago I bought a lawnmower to leave there so he could cut the grass for mom. It's still there and we all acknowledge that it's mine, but he hasn't offered to buy it or pay for any maintenance. Last week it ran out of gas and he found a can of fluid in the garage and filled it up. The fluid was kerosene. As usual I got the call - somethings wrong help I don''t know what to do etc.
I drained the fuel system and started the engine and it smoked worse than a 911. Tinkered with it some more and found large quantities of kero in the oil, so I drained the oil and filter. Still smoked. I'm thinking with all the hammering and detonation that was going on it he either broke a ring land or a ring and this was going to cost somebody $$$ and it wasn't going to be me. I went a mower shop where the guys and I get along pretty well to ask about the cost of a short block. I told him the story and he said, "Prolly just a head gasket. Happens all the time." I was skeptical, but went back and took the head off. Head gasket was blown right into an oil gallery. Looking at the head bolts you can see why that's where it would blow. $15 in parts, 1 hour labor, done. My brother made no offer to pay me. That's what families are for I guess.

[recycled sixtie]

Your brother sounds like he is somewhat challenged. You sound like a very generous person. Neither of you has a bad bone in his body.

[DanielDudley]

Maybe take the speedster for a drive on some evening when it cools off a little.

Get an ice cream for yourself, and send me the bill.

[weseeeee]

A blown gasket on a mower $15. Having a brother to help, and being in a position to do it...Priceless. You're a good man Charlie Brown

[Don Ro]

I'm thinking that you have a load of stories like this about your brother.

[gsxrken]

The thing to realize with these people is that they are somehow just not aware of how normal people behave. It's not like he said to himself "boy, I'm going to screw him again here." Or that everyday he makes a new decision not to pay you back for something. The best way to look at these things is to realize that they are like five year olds- no malice but no clue, either.
That can be frustrating in its own way, but it' better than thinking they are saying F-You as they go about their self-centered lives.

[stomachmonkey]

Originally Posted by gsxrken

The thing to realize with these people is that they are somehow just not aware of how normal people behave. It's not like he said to himself "boy, I'm going to screw him again here." Or that everyday he makes a new decision not to pay you back for something. The best way to look at these things is to realize that they are like five year olds- no malice but no clue, either.
That can be frustrating in its own way, but it' better than thinking they are saying F-You as they go about their self-centered lives.

Yup, I know people like that.

I find telling them what's expected in a matter fo fact simple tone helps them and no one gets stressed or feels slighted.

[Steve Carlton]

Have you tried asking him to pay for his share?

[fintstone]

Sounds to me like you subconsciously enjoy outdoing or "saving" him. Repressed sibling rivalry thingy. Same thing between my brother and I. Whatwould he do if yu weren't there to buy/fix a house/lawn mower/etc for him. Let/make him make his own way.