TIFU by accidentally becoming my neighbor’s granddaughter and inheriting her stuff

So this actually happened a few months ago, and I’m still trying to wrap my head around it.

I just moved into a new apartment in downtown Maplewood. First time living alone. First time realizing I have zero clue how to cook rice without watching a YouTube tutorial.

Across the hall lives this older lady, Mrs. Whitmore. She’s like 85, walks with a cane that has a tiny flashlight on it, and wears these crazy cat-themed robes all the time. Total grandma vibes.

One day, I helped her haul groceries up the stairs because the elevator was broken. She gave me a butterscotch candy and said, “You’re such a good boy, just like my grandaughter.”

I thought she was being sweet. Turns out… nope.

The next thing I know, she’s calling me “Claire.” My name is NOT Claire. Every time I corrected her, she squinted and said, “Don’t be difficult, Claire.” Eventually, I just gave in. I became Claire.

From that point on, she started showing up at my door with Tupperware full of casseroles and stuff like, “You’re too skinny. Claire was too skinny too, poor thing.” Free food? Sure. I mean, why not?

Then she invites me to a “family dinner.” I assumed it was just her and maybe a cat. Nope. Half her actual family was there, staring at me like I had dropped from another planet. And she proudly announces:

“Everyone, this is Claire. He just got back from Tokyo.”

Apparently, I now have a whole backstory: lived in Tokyo, works in tech, still plays the trumpet. (I haven’t touched a trumpet since middle school.) I just smiled and nodded like I was in some weird Netflix roleplay.

Here’s the kicker: she knows I’m not Claire She told me, “I know you’re not Claire. But I like having you around.”

Last week, she casually mentioned while I was helping her fix her TV: “You’ll take my cat figurines when I’m gone, right? I already put it in the will.”

So now… somehow, I’m inheriting cat figurines. Because I accidentally became someone else’s granddaughter.

And honestly? I think Claire would’ve been fine with that.

TL;DR: Helped my neighbor with groceries, she called me her granddaughter and now I’m inheriting cat figurines because I went along with it.