Oh, my dearest internet wanderers, have you got your popcorn ready? Because boy, do I have a story that’s going to make your jaw drop, eyes widen, and perhaps, just perhaps, make you question your moral compass. Straight from the wild, wild world of Reddit comes a real-life tale so juicy, so fraught with drama, that it could only belong in a prime-time soap opera. But worry not, my lovelies, for your guide Roger is here to dissect, reflect, and deliver the sassiest hot take on this domestic debacle. So buckle up, buttercups, it’s going to be a bumpy ride.
Our saga begins with a protagonist who, for the sake of simplicity and because we love a catchy nickname, we’ll dub ‘JusticeWarrior.’ Now, JusticeWarrior found themselves in quite the pickle when their sister’s stepson, ‘Little Klepto,’ decided it would be a splendid idea to go on a digital shopping spree. And not just any shopping spree, but one funded entirely by JusticeWarrior’s credit card to the tune of $1,400 – all blown on a mobile game. Oh, the horror, the audacity! Could you imagine the heart palpitations upon seeing that statement? I’m clenching my pearls just thinking about it.
Of course, as any sensible adult would, JusticeWarrior sat down with the little swiper, along with his guardians and, for added drama, a state police officer on speakerphone. The message was clear: the theft was unacceptable, and reparations were in order. The plan? Sell Little Klepto’s most prized possessions – an Xbox, a bike, and a Switch – to foot the bill. If the loot didn’t cover the costs, then wave goodbye to summer fun money because that would be rerouted to JusticeWarrior’s bank account. Harsh? Perhaps. Fair? Absolutely.
But alas, enter the villains of our story – or so they would have you believe – Little Klepto’s mother and grandparents. In a twist that shocked absolutely no one, they’ve painted JusticeWarrior as the greedy ogre, heartlessly robbing an innocent child of his treasures. The mother’s logic? Since JusticeWarrior earns thrice the theft amount in a pay period, the financial loss was trivial. A classic case of ‘it’s the principle, not the price,’ completely lost on her.
The grandparents, not ones to be outdone in the melodrama stakes, threatened legal action for the ‘theft’ of Little Klepto’s belongings. Oh, the irony! Would you call it poetic justice or just dessert? I’d lean towards a scrumptious serving of karma.
Now, here’s where your dashing commentator, Roger, swoops in with the hot take to end all hot takes. Are we living in such a topsy-turvy world that holding someone accountable for their actions is considered villainous? Since when did the amount in one’s bank account dictate the severity of a crime? The audacity of the mother and grandparents to gaslight JusticeWarrior, turning the predator into the victim, is not only astonishing but downright despicable.
In the grand scheme of things, what we have here is a lesson wrapped in a fiasco: actions have consequences, and sometimes those consequences involve giving up your gadgets to right your wrongs. If anything, Little Klepto is receiving an invaluable education in personal responsibility – one that seems to have skipped a generation.
So, dearest readers, as we wrap up tonight’s tale of morality, money, and mobile games, let us ponder. Who’s the real asshole here? In Roger’s oh-so-humble opinion, it’s not the person demanding accountability but those who would enable a future generation’s entitlement and moral bankruptcy. And with that, I tip my hat and bid you adieu, leaving you with one final nugget to chew on: sometimes, justice isn’t just about restoring balance but setting a precedent for what we stand as a society. Now, don’t forget to wash your hands, folks – both literally and metaphorically.
Yours in sass and class,
Roger.
Original story
EDITED – SEE BOTTOM FOR CLARIFICATION OF FREQUENT COMMENTS/QUESTIONS
This seems like it would be pretty straightforward, except I got the ’tism and and I’m having a hard time processing the negativity.
My sister’s stepson (?m), at some point when my sister was housesitting while I was working in a remote location, stole one of my credit cards and racked up $1,400US in charges to a mobile game. My sister, her husband, and I sat down with the child and had a conversation, while on speaker with a state police officer, letting him know that the only reason he wasn’t being arrested for grand theft was due to his age. Sister, BIL, and I all agreed that if the bank doesn’t reverse the charges, that his XBOX, bike, and Switch will be sold to recoup the costs. If that doesn’t cover the debt, any money he earns over the summer break will be given to me. He’s also been informed that he is no longer trusted to be in my home, supervised or not. Everyone is in agreement, he fucked up and there are consequences.
Everyone except his birth mother and his grandparents.
His mother is calling me a “greedy and selfish asshole” because, in her words to me, “you make three times that debt in a single pay period, what’s it to you?” She’s now gone as far as messaging people in my friend group and leaving out the part that her son stole almost $1,500 from me.
His grandparents are accusing me of basically the same thing, and have threatened to go to the police for “stealing his things” (the bike and consoles).
Edit 1 –
I will not state his age, but he’s under the minimum age to arrest for anything other than a Class A or Unclassified felony in my state. Theft in the Second Degree is a Class C felony.
Edit 2 –
This was an ongoing theft from 15/04/24 until 16/05/24, when I got back to civilization. My work often has me in the most remote parts of the state.