In Pittsburgh, at an Airbnb, readying to check out after a lovely stay. I've tidied, folded blankets, put laundry in a neat pile, wiped counters, loaded the dishwasher, and so on. It may be more than we are obligated to do. We've paid money for the privilege of staying here, but it is privilege nonetheless and something to repay with courtesy.

I like returning something at least as good as I borrowed it. I won't paint walls, rewiring lamps, or fix the faucet, but neither will I leave a mess. This place will be as good as when we arrived aside from the necessarily dirty laundry.

At home, we are dealing with an inept, unreliable contractor replacing our windows. Bill keeps using my tools without asking. Our brooms and dustpans, tape measure, step stool, caulk gun, mallet, and more are returned to the wrong places, usually worse for wear. Bill can't understand why this matters.

Our Airbnb hosts will find we have cared for their place and thus for them. It's no great feat, just a matter of being sensitive to and respectful of one another.

Bill isn't sensitive to us because he is a loser whose decisions cause him to keep losing. He has been doing so for years. Bill doesn't know how to care for himself and his things, so he can't care for us. That's pitiable.

I could excuse him for using our stuff, but is that kindness? I can't fix Bill, that's up to him, but perhaps my actions will help make him better. I don't know.

Leaving no mess here in Pittsburgh before returning to clean up Bill's mess at our home makes me better. And, frankly, I could do with becoming a lot better.