Neighbor's kid scratches your car: WWYD?

Free, open, general chat on any topic.

Moderators: Orlion, balon!, aliantha

Post Reply
User avatar
Zarathustra
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 19644
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 12:23 am
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by Zarathustra »

High Lord Tolkien wrote:You know, theres a part of me that wants to say that it was your fault because the father asked you for your help to fix the handlebars and you refused....it's like Spiderman, basically your car is Uncle Ben. :P
That's funny. I had a close friend tell me exactly the same thing. Karma, it's a bitch. But I don't think it is my fault that this guy doesn't take care of his kid. If I asked him to pack my kid's lunch, and then my kid didn't have anything to eat the next day because he refused, would it be his fault if my kid stole his kid's lunch? No, that's my responsibility. I'd never ask my neighbors to perform my fatherly duties.

I'm curious how you knew he asked me to help fix the handlebars . . . I only mentioned that he asked me *how* to fix the handlebars, not that he asked me to actually help him do it. Have you been PMing Ki behind my back? :twisted:

Anyway, I didn't exactly refuse to help him. He asked for help, and I told him how to do it. I figure that's *help.* I didn't really think it required both of us to hold the wrench to tighten it. So I don't think he actually wanted help. I think he wanted me to do it for him. I have no idea why he thought I'd be more qualified to tighten a bolt than him.

I was putting my own bikes together when I was in 3rd grade. We would take bikes that people threw away, and tear them down to make a "new" bike. If I was doing it in 3rd grade, there is absolutely no reason why this 30-something guy can't tighten his son's handlebars. I admit it: I thought he was a loser for not knowing how to do it. It annoyed me that he wanted me to do it for him. There are certain things I think any father should know how to do . . . or at least *try* to figure it out first before asking their neighbors to do it for them. Hell, I learned how to fix my dryer by looking on the Internet. I don't see how you get through life not knowing how to tighten up a bolt.

Don't get me wrong--if someone needed help replacing an alternator, I'd help them. I've helped several people who were broken down and needed mechanical assistance. I've blown my own alternator giving people a jump.
Joe Biden … putting the Dem in dementia since (at least) 2020.
Top
User avatar
danlo
Lord
Posts: 20838
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2002 8:29 pm
Location: Albuquerque NM
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:
Contact danlo

Post by danlo »

I don't think the results are the same in all cases Turiya---plus we're talking about a severely handicapped kid here.
fall far and well Pilots!
Top
ChoChiyo
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 4127
Joined: Tue Nov 23, 2004 3:32 am
Location: Middle of a Minnesota Cornfield

Post by ChoChiyo »

Change will only be made when the current situation becomes uncomfortable enough to make the individual in question WANT to change.

This kid, poor little tyke, is doomed right now. He may either grow up to be the kid most often depantsed in the hallway in Junior High or the scary kid who mutilates other kids' kittens in the garage.

No matter how bad the foster care system can be, it is often good too. It sounds to me like all the neighborhood is in agreement about this kid. I think all of you should talk it over and send a report en masse to the CPS. Or, I think every neighbor should march up to their house and inform the parents every time they have to pull the kid out from in front of a speeding car or chase him out of their yards.

The important thing here is the kid. it is sad that people like his parents are allowed to breed, since they are not willing to take care of their offspring.
Image

Empress Cho hammers the KABC of Evil.

"If Ignorance is Bliss, Ann Coulter must be the happiest woman in the universe!"

Take that, you Varlet! :P
Top
User avatar
dANdeLION
Lord
Posts: 23836
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:22 am
Location: In the jungle, the mighty jungle
Contact:
Contact dANdeLION

Post by dANdeLION »

If a kid scratched my car, I'd paint the town red and rename it 'Hell'. But that might be an overreaction; I never can tell.
Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion

I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.

High priest of THOOOTP

:hobbes: *

* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
Top
User avatar
AjK
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 1131
Joined: Thu Jun 05, 2008 6:39 pm
Location: Standing in the dark. Watching you glow. Lifting a receiver ...

Post by AjK »

dANdeLION wrote:If a kid scratched my car, I'd paint the town red and rename it 'Hell'.
Mordecai: "I never did know the name of that Lion."
dANdeLION: "Yeah you did." [* walks off into the heat haze *]
... nobody I know.
Top
User avatar
JazFusion
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 1007
Joined: Sun Feb 10, 2008 2:41 am
Location: R'lyeh
Contact:
Contact JazFusion

Post by JazFusion »

dANdeLION wrote:If a kid scratched my car, I'd paint the town red and rename it 'Hell'. But that might be an overreaction; I never can tell.
Image
Top
User avatar
___
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 1122
Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2003 7:25 pm

Post by ___ »

High Plains Drifter rocks!
When the man with a 45 meets the man with a rifle, you said the man with a pistol is a dead man. Let's see if it's true.
Top
User avatar
Cail
Lord
Posts: 38981
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2004 1:36 am
Location: Hell of the Upside Down Sinners

Post by Cail »

Rocks generally don't drift no matter where they are.
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
Top
User avatar
The Sorcerer King
Woodhelvennin
Posts: 50
Joined: Thu Jun 28, 2007 12:21 pm
Location: Southerland Castle

Post by The Sorcerer King »

I don't get your drift, and I think that rocks are made of matter.
"The Sorcerer King ascended the throne, pushed the holy launch button and laughed like a drunken clown" - excerpt from Flower of Doom
Top
User avatar
Zarathustra
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 19644
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 12:23 am
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by Zarathustra »

I'm going to find out where you all live and come scratch your cars, smartasses. :biggrin:
Joe Biden … putting the Dem in dementia since (at least) 2020.
Top
User avatar
Cail
Lord
Posts: 38981
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2004 1:36 am
Location: Hell of the Upside Down Sinners

Post by Cail »

Once I figure out how to tighten my handlebars, you'll never catch me!
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
Top
User avatar
dANdeLION
Lord
Posts: 23836
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:22 am
Location: In the jungle, the mighty jungle
Contact:
Contact dANdeLION

Post by dANdeLION »

Malik23 wrote:I'm going to find out where you all live and come scratch your cars, smartasses. :biggrin:
That shouldn't be too damn hard, considering half of us just sent your kid postcards!
Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion

I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.

High priest of THOOOTP

:hobbes: *

* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
Top
User avatar
Zarathustra
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 19644
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 12:23 am
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by Zarathustra »

Now you're starting to see the genius of our plan . . . :twisted:
Joe Biden … putting the Dem in dementia since (at least) 2020.
Top
User avatar
Menolly
A Lowly Harper
Posts: 24089
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Harper Hall, Fort Hold, Northern Continent, Pern...
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 8 times
Contact:
Contact Menolly

Post by Menolly »

I don't fear you...
(but then, I don't frequent the 'tank much, either)

You, Ki, and the boys are welcome here anytime.

If, unlike dlb, you can bring yourselves to come visit Gator Town.

I'll be happy to show y'all The Swamp!! ;)

...and you already have my address...

[looking forward to that homebrew]
Image
Top
Ki
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 2876
Joined: Tue May 15, 2007 5:51 pm

Post by Ki »

Menolly wrote:I don't fear you...
(but then, I don't frequent the 'tank much, either)

You, Ki, and the boys are welcome here anytime.

If, unlike dlb, you can bring yourselves to come visit Gator Town.

I'll be happy to show y'all The Swamp!! ;)

...and you already have my address...

[looking forward to that homebrew]
We're actually nicer in person believe it or not. :)
Top
User avatar
Cail
Lord
Posts: 38981
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2004 1:36 am
Location: Hell of the Upside Down Sinners

Post by Cail »

Ki wrote:We're actually nicer in person believe it or not. :)
With the exception of letting the neighbor's kids ride around on dangerous bikes!
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." - PJ O'Rourke
_____________
"Men and women range themselves into three classes or orders of intelligence; you can tell the lowest class by their habit of always talking about persons; the next by the fact that their habit is always to converse about things; the highest by their preference for the discussion of ideas." - Charles Stewart
_____________
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgment of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations." - James Madison
_____________
Top
Ki
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 2876
Joined: Tue May 15, 2007 5:51 pm

Post by Ki »

Cail wrote:
Ki wrote:We're actually nicer in person believe it or not. :)
With the exception of letting the neighbor's kids ride around on dangerous bikes!
In my defense, I was in Pennsylvania when this happened. :) And the Malik part of me wants to add, it is his dad that let his kid ride around on a dangerous bike.
Top
User avatar
dANdeLION
Lord
Posts: 23836
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2003 3:22 am
Location: In the jungle, the mighty jungle
Contact:
Contact dANdeLION

Post by dANdeLION »

I used to have a Camaro, and some drunk rear-ended it around Christmas of '91. Insurance covered the repair, and soon I was back on the road, one quarter panel slightly shinier than the rest, but good to go. I actually considered having the rest of the car repainted, but reality struck in the form of a rock, thrown by a little kid of the african-american variety, right on the new paint as I was driving by him. Being in my early 20's, I immediately slammed on the brakes, and jumped out of the car and grabbed him by the arm, no doubt scaring the hell out of him. About one second later, I realized what part of town I was in, quickly scolded the brat, got in my car, and got the hell out of there before I got myself killed over a stupid rock hitting my car......
Dandelion don't tell no lies
Dandelion will make you wise
Tell me if she laughs or cries
Blow away dandelion

I'm afraid there's no denying
I'm just a dandelion
a fate I don't deserve.

High priest of THOOOTP

:hobbes: *

* This post carries Jay's seal of approval
Top
User avatar
Zarathustra
The Gap Into Spam
Posts: 19644
Joined: Tue Jan 04, 2005 12:23 am
Been thanked: 1 time

Post by Zarathustra »

Update: well, I was out watching my kid bike in our cul-de-sac, and the neighbor came out. I decided I'd had enough of the tension, so I waved at him and walked over. I told him that I was sorry for my outburst, and that we have to live next to each other, so I wanted to end the tension and make the peace. I told him this issue had been building for a while because we've had multiple things broken by uninvited, unsupervised kids in our yard, and that we felt a little taken advantage of because we are friendly and play outside with our own kids. I told him that, personally, we always watch our kids, but I understand different parents have different parenting styles (basically, standing by my accusation that he doesn't watch his kid, but still trying to remain non-confrontational). So, basically, I wanted to make the peace.

His response: we DO watch our kids. It WASN'T his fault.

Biting back my response (I KNOW, it was YOUR fault, dipshit), I nodded and let him know that I didn't blame his son. I said we like his son. And then stood there hoping he might assume responsibility and apologize.

Nope.

This is especially ironic, because his kid had just been biking in the street unsupervised and crashed. Not 5 minutes earlier. Yeah, he watches his kid. I can't believe he actually had the balls to say that.

Anyway, a complete waste from my end, but at least I tried to do my part for neighborhood solidarity, and came out the bigger man in the process. Maybe after he thinks about it for a while, he'll realize what a jerk he is. And if he doesn't, maybe I'll send my kid to crash into his car.

:twisted:
Joe Biden … putting the Dem in dementia since (at least) 2020.
Top
User avatar
Menolly
A Lowly Harper
Posts: 24089
Joined: Thu May 19, 2005 12:29 am
Location: Harper Hall, Fort Hold, Northern Continent, Pern...
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 8 times
Contact:
Contact Menolly

Post by Menolly »

I stand by what I said privately to you, Malik.
If there is a genetic disorder involved, perhaps the apple doesn't fall far from the tree...
Image
Top
Post Reply

Return to “General Discussion Forum”