I Publicly Admonished Someone! (house, live, fence)

[Xica_da_Silva]

In person, I am outgoing but normally non-confrontational...in fact, most of my workmates call me 'the nice one'. But this evening, when I saw a young lady park her car in front of my house, then proceed to walk down the street to my neighbor's house and pick a bunch of his lemons without asking his permission (I'm pretty sure he wasn't home at the time), it really bothered me!

So, as she walked back to her car, I said "Don't you think you should ask permission before taking fruit from someone's tree, I mean, just as a courtesy?". I have to say she did seem genuinely surprised and said something like, 'Oh, I'm sure they'd never use all of those and it's better not to let them go to waste, and I was only taking a few, and will bring them to a YWCA meeting tomorrow, etc.'.

I guess I am just shocked that people are ok with going onto someone's private property and taking fruit without asking. I understand there may be some genuinely hungry, hard luck people out there who may need food, but still, it strikes me as disrespectful and audacious to do it like that, and not through what might be more official channels. Am I wrong?! Maybe I am I just an old fart who'll start screaming 'get offa my lawn' someday soon?!

[Kimballette]

Originally Posted by Xica_da_Silva

In person, I am outgoing but normally non-confrontational...in fact, most of my workmates call me 'the nice one'. But this evening, when I saw a young lady park her car in front of my house, then proceed to walk down the street to my neighbor's house and pick a bunch of his lemons without asking his permission (I'm pretty sure he wasn't home at the time), it really bothered me!

So, as she walked back to her car, I said "Don't you think you should ask permission before taking fruit from someone's tree, I mean, just as a courtesy?". I have to say she did seem genuinely surprised and said something like, 'Oh, I'm sure they'd never use all of those and it's better not to let them go to waste, and I was only taking a few, and will bring them to a YWCA meeting tomorrow, etc.'.

I guess I am just shocked that people are ok with going onto someone's private property and taking fruit without asking. I understand there may be some genuinely hungry, hard luck people out there who may need food, but still, it strikes me as disrespectful and audacious to do it like that, and not through what might be more official channels. Am I wrong?! Maybe I am I just an old fart who'll start screaming 'get offa my lawn' someday soon?!

LOL! No, I don't think you're wrong. This is something I've witnessed, and it always baffles me. My brother and his daughter have gone to neighbors' homes and stolen rosemary for dinner, flowers for arrangements, and probably more. Each time, I'm stunned. I'm with you - it's disrespectful, audacious, and, yeah, I think it's stealing. Yes yes, it's petty theft, but, really, why do it?

[poptones]

I used to go next door (the yard was just outside my window and wasn't fenced) and pick up lemons off the ground. The tree made HUGE lemons, the size of large oranges, and they just lay there rotting. The man who lived there was involent and wouldn't have answered the door if I had knocked. In retrospect I wish I had just gone to his door and let myself in and given him some of the lemons he was unable to go fetch himself, but I'm not going to kick myself over it. Live and learn.

[Grannysroost]

There are circumstances I'm sure, but to go in anyone's yard for anything that's not yours without asking, shame on you....Good reason for that fence Xica and I think morals and good judgement have gone by the wayside with a lot of people.

[OurNextAdventure]

You should have thrown an orange at her, and said "You can have that too while your at it!" Snap!

Lol. Your are right to speak up. I am sure you shocked the hell out of her by speaking out.

[kdog]

I would have visibly written down her plate number and told her you'd give it to the owner in case they want to press charges. I'm sure nobody would, but it's nice to make her worry.

Funny similar story. I was riding my bicycle out in the country one day when I topped a hill and the person in a car parked at top threw a beer can out the window into the gully. It's a popular parking area, and so the gully had a LOT of beer cans. I pulled up to the car and read him his license plate number and told him I'd be passing back though the same spot later in the day, and if there was one single beer can in the gully, I'd report him to the police for littering. Amazingly the entire gully was cleaned up before I got back.

[gentlearts]

I was crossing in front of an old lady's parked car in front of a grocery store. Just as I was about to cross, the woman tossed a plastic cup, napkin and spoon out of the window of her car. I was so shocked, I yelled at her, "Are you kidding me?" and pointed to the mess. My DH just made me keep on walking, so I don't know if I made the slightest impression or not.
Someone suggested that I should have picked up the stuff and tossed it back into her car. In retrospect, I think perhaps the woman was very old and a bit out of it. She probably shouldn't have been driving.

[kdog]

I know someone who picked up a lit cigarette butt that a driver threw out of their car at a traffic light, and tossed it back in their car.

[Desertspiritsteve]

I love the rage. The older I get, the more carefully I choose my battles. I once saw someone walking with his dog stop at my yard and let the dog take a big dump. Then they walked on. I followed them home like a detective. Then I carefully scooped up the crap and took it to that house and put it down the mail box. Should I have put postage on it?

[twiggy]

Originally Posted by kdog

I know someone who picked up a lit cigarette butt that a driver threw out of their car at a traffic light, and tossed it back in their car.

Wow, I bet that would be a full time job!