Dear Urban Diplomat: My cottage owner friends are using me for my handyman skills
It’s nice to be invited for a weekend on the lake, but lately I’ve been spending more time working than lounging on the dock. Am I being taken advantage of?
Dear Urban Diplomat, I suspect my friends are using me for my handyman skills. They’ve been inviting me up to their cottages this summer. I love the lake, but lately, these trips have all followed a familiar pattern: we unpack the cars, put away the food, and right when we’re cracking our first beer, they mention a leaky sink or a dead light switch or a loose deck tie. These repairs often eat up the whole weekend, with multiple trips to the hardware store. How can I keep the cottage invites rolling without having to spend my weekends on the job? —Fix-It Felix, Downsview
A lot of work goes into hosting a cottage weekend. Some guests help out with groceries, cooking and cleaning, while others let chores happen while soaking up the sun in their own bubbles of oblivion. I’m trying to be tactful here: Are you in the latter or the former group? If it’s the latter, your hosts are probably trying to wring some contribution out of your attendance, and you should oblige them. If it’s the former, then they’re taking advantage, and you’re well within your rights to tell them you’re off the clock.
