Day 760 of 365 Again.
I almost got in a fight today.
Exciting huh?
Well, more like really stupid.
Steph and I were hanging out watching TV today when there was a knock at the front door. I went down to answer it and it was my fifteen year old neighbor.
He very respectfully and apologetically let me know that someone had damaged my new car. I immediately went down to inspect the damage and found a four foot long scratch along the side of the car. I asked the kid what happened and he told me that he was doing yard work for his dad when some younger kids from down the street started playing with his lawn mower. He asked them to leave it alone, but they wouldn’t, insisting that they were "helping." According to him, and some other (adult) neighbors from across the street, one of the kids mother’s came down to check on the kids, and take the lawn mower away when it slipped rolled into my truck which was parked on the street. She grabbed the kids, yelled at them and sprinted up the street back to her house. My neighbor told his dad what happened and then came to tell me.
So we all walked up the street to talk to the woman and her son. I actually went way out of my way to be polite, I understand that with kids, accidents happen. But I still need to get my door taken care of. At first she tried to deny what happened, but then upon realizing that I had several neighbors as witnesses, apologized, blaming it all on her son, but claiming it was an accident and there’s nothing they could do, since they’re poor.
Her husband then came out and threw a fit, screaming at her, me, the kids and everyone else around. I kept telling him to calm down and that I’d get it looked at by a body shop as soon as possible and we could work something out. He alternated between being very calm and threatening me. And by alternating, I mean, he’d literally switch back and forth between completely reasonable and full-on Ultimate Warrior bat-shit insane every 15 seconds. Like seriously, he was so angry he was shivering.
Eventually he kind of agreed to pay for bill provided I present him with two copies of it (I have no idea why) even though he felt we were all responsible for the damage (I wasn’t even around at the time, so I have no idea where my fault ran). He then yelled at me that he blamed me for it, and that he’d probably lose his house and be out on the streets because he wouldn’t be able to pay rent. I’m apparently also an asshole because I don’t understand that not everyone "has money to burn like I do" (hahahahaha!!!) and that if this causes his marriage to break up the whole block will hear about it. The entire time he was ranting and raving he was shaking this flashlight like a club, so hard that other neighbors later told me they thought there was a strobe light outside.
Afterwards, several people told me they were afraid he was going to hit me. Several times I really thought he was going to. I think he probably wanted to, but kept looking around and seeing my neighbor and his son (both black men as well) and kinda got afraid that he was pretty badly outnumbered. You know, we’re like all black guys and stuff. We’re scary.
I think he probably would have taken a swing at me had he been alone.
That would have been a mistake.
Wow.
People are insane.
Um yeah, I’m glad he eventually calmed down and that you didn’t go off. I had to fix my windshield; I don’t have bail money!
"That would have been a mistake."
Oh I bet it would have!!! 😉
Jeez I hope they do pay for the damage! Good luck!
Damn. Sounds like he was talking out of fear more than anything. Also sounds like he’s a royal jerk.
I bet I know exactly which kids were so "helpful" too. They were a rowdy bunch of little hooligans on your block when Jeff and I were visiting.
I’m glad he didn’t hit you. Mostly so Steph doesn’t have to bail you out of jail for beating the crap out of him in self defense.
I think if his marriage breaks up because of paying for your scratched car, then that marriage isn’t exactly idyllic to begin with.
Jeez, I’ve had run in with neighbors (specifically a few years ago with the one below who has since moved thank goodness) where I thought they were going to deck me (and usually my husband at work), but people are freaking insane. *shakes head* Sorry about your car, total bummer.
Gee – what a homewrecker you are – trying to bust up their marriage with your car damage…….!!
(yeah, I’m with 365 bunnies – that cannot be too great of a marriage if this busts it up….. the wife will probably think "good riddance")
Kudos to you for keeping your cool – I know it wasn’t easy….. but damn, bail money gets hard to come by….
I think I need to appreciate my neighbor’s kids – they just go through my trash, give me weird looks, and such.
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Seen in my contacts’ photos. (?)
Good job keeping your cool. If you are like me, you were probably keeping your eyes on his flashlight.
Still laughing at "We’re scary."
An interesting story. While I am sorry this could cost the ranting neighbor money, I am REALLY glad this worked out well for him (You stayed calm and he failed to make a really stupid mistake.
Still, based upon what you’ve written here, I’d probably be more comfortable with a police report outlining the accidental damage and codifyng the witness statements.
At the very least, an investigating officer will likely trot down the street and get a statement from Mrs. Bubba for the record.
My cynical nature sees the outcome here as Mav pays the deductible and the angry Bubba cries broke and moves when his lease is up.
Good shot by the way.
Man… I don’t even know what to say. People are just so unpredictable. I had a couple of kids (well, they were probably 20 or so… but at 30.. that’s a kid) run into the back of my car, dislodging my bumper. They were very apologetic by said they didn’t have insurance and would gladly pay me back in weed and that I should come to a party at their house where there would be weed, girls and beer. What are people thinking sometimes?
I took the weed and made a sort of paste out of it and applied it to my bumper. It’s still holding my bumper up and when the tail pipe heats it up in traffic everyone mellows out ;-). j/k
I vote on police report.
Even if you drop the charges later, its all there in black and white if they decide later to refuse to pay
@Stephen Poff: That’s YOU I’ve been following around?
Hi, I’m an admin for a group called Souls (bw People), and we’d love to have this added to the group!
When you photograph people in colour you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in B&W, you photograph their souls! ~Ted Grant
@SaylaMarz: pretty much. Last time I saw him, he was being nice again. Who knows the next time.
@lrayholly: heh… well, you don’t need it, yet. 🙂
@j o o b o o s: thanks.
@madmolecule: I’m pretty sure it was a little of both. I have this dream that we somehow end up on judge judy.
@mickeysacks: yeah, that’s probably who it was.
@365bunnies: heh… yeah, you think? Those people are nuts.
@adayinthelife: thanks. It’ll be alright.
@Babs1696: If I wreck a marriage it’s going to be Cash Warren’s and it’s going to be by sleeping with Jessica Alba. It certainly isn’t going to be that guy’s.
@Just Say K.B.: yeah, definitely kept my eye on his hands the whole time.
@DeHoll: I’m certainly not going through my insurance on this. And I’m not that worried. Like I said, there’s always Judge Judy.
@Stephen Poff: heh…. at least they were TRYING to make amends.
@spresogna: yeah, maybe. Like I said, I think it’ll be fine.
@lrayholly: heh
Maravillosa, una foto genial. Con tu permiso me la quedo.
@jlanta: Glad you like it.