Oh, dear readers! Gather round as I tell a tale of suburban frustration, childhood mischief, and the ever-spinning wheel of karma that’s bound to knock some sense into the most obnoxious of us. This, my friends, is not just any yarn spun from the depths of the internet; it’s a real Reddit story from a real person. A saga so juicy, it had me clutching my pearls and reaching for the popcorn. So buckle up, because Roger’s got a hot take that’s guaranteed to sizzle your senses and maybe, just maybe, make you ponder the age-old question: **Are you the jerk if you finally snap and take a stand?**
First up, let’s set the stage. Picture it: an apartment complex notorious for its parking wars—a battleground where the warriors are minivans and the spoils are the coveted spots near one’s abode. Our protagonist, a seasoned childcare professional with the patience of a saint (or so they claim), has found their breaking point not in the cries of the children they tend to by day, but in the seemingly innocuous actions of the neighborhood kids by night. And oh, it gets better.
The children in question? A dynamic duo of dissent, aged approximately 6 and 11, whose parents have seemingly thrown the parental guidebook out the window, along with any semblance of common decency. These tiny tyrants run amok, transforming the hallowed halls of their apartment complex into their personal playground, complete with late-night screech sessions that could very well summon the police under the guise of a child endangerment call.
But wait, there’s more! As the summer sun begins to grace the skies, so too does the eldest child’s audaciousness bloom. His latest conquest? Claiming a parking spot as his kingdom, with nothing but a bike and the insolence that comes with prepubescent territory. Conversations with the father? Fruitless. Appeals to common sense? Laughed off. What’s a beleaguered neighbor to do?
Enter the plot twist: our hero, pushed to the brink of sanity, decides to invoke the complex’s strict no-item policy. A call is made, a bike is taken, and what follows is the kind of poetic justice that could make Shakespeare blush. The next morning, a cacophony of protest heralds the dawn, as the child discovers his chariot has been banished to the shadow realm (otherwise known as the maintenance shed).
“Play stupid games win stupid prizes,” our protagonist retorts, a line so deliciously snarky that it deserves a slow clap. But then, the guilt creeps in. Was it too harsh? Is the punishment fit for the crime? Should one feel remorse for teaching a lesson in respect and boundaries?
And here, dear readers, is where Roger wades into the fray with his sizzling hot take: **Absolutely not**. In the grand theatre of life, sometimes the curtain call is a wake-up call. If the parents won’t teach their children the basic etiquette of community living, then, by golly, the village will. It’s a hard lesson, sure, but one that’s necessary. Because at the end of the day, it’s not just about a bike or a parking spot. It’s about respect, consideration, and the understanding that your actions—no matter how small—have consequences.
So, to the beleagured neighbor, I say: Wear your asshole badge with pride. You’ve not only reclaimed your parking spot, but you’ve also served a slice of life’s humble pie to those in dire need of a taste. And to the rest of us watching from the sidelines? Let this be a reminder that sometimes, the only way to deal with wheel-y bad behavior is to kick it to the curb.
Till next time, Roger out.
Original story
First and foremost, I want it to be known that I have no issues with kids. As someone with a lot of experience working in childcare, I have a lot of patience. I met the end of this patience and want to know if what I’ve done is justified.
My apartment is known for tight parking (there are probably 20 spots for 16-20 apartments.) There are no rules for parking, which causes issues from time to time with getting a spot near my building. Typically it doesn’t bother me, as it’s to be expected.
My neighbors have two kids (roughly 6 and 11) they don’t take responsibility for. As a tame example, we have a quiet hours set at 9:30PM on weekdays. These kids have been in the hallways screeching (I am talking stuck pig, would’ve called the police fearing child endangerment kind of screeching) at midnight or even 1am on weeknights. The parents do nothing about it. To put it gently, these kids think they can do whatever they want, no consequences.
Summer is arriving, and the weather has been great. The kids across from me have also been enjoying this weather, except they’re “enjoying” it so much that one of them (11 year old) has taken to blocking the parking spots in my complex by parking his bike in the middle of one and standing there on his phone for hours. The parents watch this happen, the dad SOMETIMES goes out and bring the bike back into their apartment late at night. Emphasis on sometimes. I’ve talked to them about this, as recently I’ve had to park over five, ten minutes away from my building because of the kid taking up an entire parking spot. The father shrugs and laughs, and does nothing about it.
Next point is where I am unsure if I’m the asshole.
Our complex has strict rules about personal items taking up public spaces (planters, grills, and most relevantly bikes.) They’ve sent emails stating they’re not responsible for reimbursing personal items removed from the public spaces.
I came home from a particularly stressful day, and the kid was in the only spot left near my building. I asked him nicely to move his bike so I could park. The kid stared at me, then laughed as he left his bike and went inside. His father watched all of this from their patio and did nothing.
After parking 3 buildings over, I’d had enough. I called the complex and reported a bike taking up parking. Within half an hour, maintenance came and took it.
Next morning I woke up to screeching from this kid. His dad realized what happened and came over to yell at me. Pissed at being woken up at 7am on my one day off, I responded “play stupid games win stupid prizes” before I shut the door and went about my day.
Part of me feels justified, but theres part of me that feels bad this kid won’t have a bike for the majority of this summer.
AITA?
TL:DR kid acted like he owned the parking lot, got a rude awakening when his bike was thrown away by maintenance, and his dad who encouraged the behavior is pissed.