[Athena E.]

AIBU 07.10.2024​

AIBU, which stands for 'Am I Being Unreasonable', is the perfect platform for sharing your thoughts and opinions! So, for today's AIBU discussion, we have this story from Reddit/Acceptable-Essay-490:

Am I being unreasonable for refusing to pay a neighbour for cutting my lawn when I didn't ask him to?

'I (29M) recently bought my first house. I'm settling in and like the neighbourhood, and a few neighbours even came by to say hello. They included a woman (43F) and her 13-year-old son.'

'Not long after, I was on my couch one afternoon and saw the son outside, mowing my front lawn. I was confused, since I'd never asked him to and he'd never offered. I went out and politely asked him why he was doing it - he said he did it for lots of neighbours and quickly added they give him $5 for it. I found it really weird, so thanked him for the partial work he'd done, before explaining that since I hadn't asked or wanted him to do it, I wasn't going to be paying him. He said OK, and quietly left my lawn.'

'I figured that might be the end of it - just a kid trying to make some money, resolved with no harm done, end of story. But the next day his mum arrived on my doorstep and angrily asked me why I hadn't paid her son. I basically repeated what I'd said to her son, but she wouldn't accept it. She just kept saying that it was a kind gesture and that he does it for all the other neighbours. She also said $5 isn't a lot of money and I could have just gave it to him. '

'I kept trying to explain that an agreement like that needs to be set up ahead of time otherwise it's nothing more than a random demand for money, but she basically tuned me out and ended up walking away as I was talking. I was amazed the adult in the situation was handling it worse than the literal child was. I'm wondering how much longer this will go on for.'

'That was last week. Every time I've seen her since, she's stared daggers at me or made a show of crossing the street to avoid me. I'm not instigating anything further - I really have no desire to speak to her - but I'm thinking she might try to send her poor kid back to collect the money, or even mow the lawn again.'

'I've vented about this to family and friends, and while most seemed to agree with me, some said I should have been grateful and paid the boy, and just told them from then on not to mow the lawn. I can't tell if I've been unreasonable here, or if my reaction to the whole thing was entirely justified.'

 

[novezar]

Way more than enough said on this "Grassy" subject.

 

[Miss Jewel]

Sorry, but your language is intolerable.

...and a bully.

 

[Rosi Gordon]

What a miserable arsehole You Are !!! $5 for Christ's sake ! You'd make a lifelong enemy of your neighbours, for the sake of a miserable $5 !!! Pull your head out of your arse far enough to realise that in life, you get a lot further on for a bit of give and take .
Technically you are right, but,there are a lot better ways to teach a child to be a loving and caring adult than acting like an arse-hole !
Instead of sitting on the lounge playing video games the kid showed the enterprise to act like an adult and get out and earn his own pocket money instead of begging from his parents !!! SHAME ON YOU !!! Keep looking over your shoulder, because karma will be out to get you !!! Christ help your children or grandchildren !!! being lumbered with an Arsehole like you !!!

You sound like one of those neighbours that others in the street try to avoid. This child needs lessons on asking first and doing second where money is involved otherwise he will feel entitled to do whatever and expect payment.

 

[JocelynMary]

What a miserable arsehole You Are !!! $5 for Christ's sake ! You'd make a lifelong enemy of your neighbours, for the sake of a miserable $5 !!! Pull your head out of your arse far enough to realise that in life, you get a lot further on for a bit of give and take .
Technically you are right, but,there are a lot better ways to teach a child to be a loving and caring adult than acting like an arse-hole !
Instead of sitting on the lounge playing video games the kid showed the enterprise to act like an adult and get out and earn his own pocket money instead of begging from his parents !!! SHAME ON YOU !!! Keep looking over your shoulder, because karma will be out to get you !!! Christ help your children or grandchildren !!! being lumbered with an Arsehole like you !!!

I agree, what a big meaney. The boy was just trying to earn some pocket money, yes he probably should have asked first, but you have to admire his initiative and it was only $5, pretty cheap to get your lawn done. I think you should eat some humble pie and give hin $5, maybe then the mother will come around.

 

[Southmelbswans]

I would be in the same boat in declining to pay $5 for the simple fact that I do not carry cash - everything goes on card. Wonder if the Mum could have produced an Eftpos machine??????

 

[Jo Piper3]

I would be in the same boat in declining to pay $5 for the simple fact that I do not carry cash - everything goes on card. Wonder if the Mum could have produced an Eftpos machine??????

That's what I was thinking. I had a $1 coin that I used for Woolies Trolleys but felt sorry for a man collecting for hungry people so gave him my only cash $1. Lucky a friend at Woolies told me where unlocked trolleys are so it worked out well. I would not have had $5 cash to pay the boy.

 

[Noon]

A lousy $5, he probably thought with you busy moving in he'd do you a good favour, there was no need to be rude to a kid.

 

[I'm Mal]

Appears to me like the mother is a self entitled cow and passing that trait to her son. If it had been me, I too would have politely informed the boy that his services were not required at all and that I would not be paying him. I would not have been at all polite to the mother when she turned up with her demands, rather I would have sent her packing with a very long list of expletives that would make the most hardened truckie blush.

 

[marni]

What a miserable arsehole You Are !!! $5 for Christ's sake ! You'd make a lifelong enemy of your neighbours, for the sake of a miserable $5 !!! Pull your head out of your arse far enough to realise that in life, you get a lot further on for a bit of give and take .
Technically you are right, but,there are a lot better ways to teach a child to be a loving and caring adult than acting like an arse-hole !
Instead of sitting on the lounge playing video games the kid showed the enterprise to act like an adult and get out and earn his own pocket money instead of begging from his parents !!! SHAME ON YOU !!! Keep looking over your shoulder, because karma will be out to get you !!! Christ help your children or grandchildren !!! being lumbered with an Arsehole like you !!!

Well if that’s the way you talk - heaven help your children or grandchildren You obviously do not believe trespassing should be frowned upon as well. No permission to enter his property.

 

[I'm Mal]

What a miserable arsehole You Are !!! $5 for Christ's sake ! You'd make a lifelong enemy of your neighbours, for the sake of a miserable $5 !!! Pull your head out of your arse far enough to realise that in life, you get a lot further on for a bit of give and take .
Technically you are right, but,there are a lot better ways to teach a child to be a loving and caring adult than acting like an arse-hole !
Instead of sitting on the lounge playing video games the kid showed the enterprise to act like an adult and get out and earn his own pocket money instead of begging from his parents !!! SHAME ON YOU !!! Keep looking over your shoulder, because karma will be out to get you !!! Christ help your children or grandchildren !!! being lumbered with an Arsehole like you !!!

Looking in the mirror? Be a good idea if you did and use the same descriptors. DH

 

[Beezzzy]

What a miserable arsehole You Are !!! $5 for Christ's sake ! You'd make a lifelong enemy of your neighbours, for the sake of a miserable $5 !!! Pull your head out of your arse far enough to realise that in life, you get a lot further on for a bit of give and take .
Technically you are right, but,there are a lot better ways to teach a child to be a loving and caring adult than acting like an arse-hole !
Instead of sitting on the lounge playing video games the kid showed the enterprise to act like an adult and get out and earn his own pocket money instead of begging from his parents !!! SHAME ON YOU !!! Keep looking over your shoulder, because karma will be out to get you !!! Christ help your children or grandchildren !!! being lumbered with an Arsehole like you !!!

I'm thinking it was his Mum who told him to and not the boys idea at all.