Grumpy Old Man

[kybearfuzz]

Yesterday, I turned into the grumpy old man on my street. I always knew that it would happen, but not so soon and not at this age.

My neighbors are a young couple, in their early 30's I think, who have three kids -- a boy who is 5, a daughter who is 3, and a newborn son. While Mom was on her porch with the baby, the other two were riding around in one of those Power Wheels, battery-powered jeeps. They make an ugly "whirring" sound, these things.

I had just gotten home from a run, sweaty and disheveled, and was getting ready to strip off the gym clothes in my laundry room when I heard that noisy jeep make a spin around my house. The boy was driving with his sister squealing in delight. I rolled my eyes, hoping it was a one-time occurrence, but then it happened again... and again... They were going through my yard, across my patio, between my house and the one next door, down the embankment, up my driveway and to the sidewalk. My biggest concern was that the embankment is next to my garage where I had a tree removed last summer. The stump is still there and if they hit it, the jeep will tumble over the stone embankment to my concrete driveway about 2 feet down.

Not wanting the liability of this, I went out and asked their mom to have them stop doing that. She said, "they just love the hills around your house." I don't give a $#!+ if they do, I thought. I explained about the stump and the drop and she said she didn't know about that.

I never thought I'd have to explain to a neighbor that her kids couldn't play in my yard. It seems like a natural assumption that most people would make. Having found toys in my yard before, I guess I'll have to put forth a stronger reminder, but in doing so, I've now become the grumpy old guy on my street.

I should buy a cardigan sweater and a cane to shake at the kids.

Comments

[barak.livejournal.com]

I hereby dub the CARL FREDRICKSON!! (will you have ballons carry away your home next?)

We have a wall underneath our deck, that shores up a gravel pit.(It wasn't our choice, but we decided to leave it alone). The wall borders a sidewalk that goes along the back end of some of the other townhomes in our area, and grows in height from about half a foot to 4 feet tall.

Twice this summer, I've caught kids walking the wall. Which is always concerning because they could slip and fall off onto the sidewalk or the street. I had to play the grumpy old man card too and ask them not to walk on it. One kid looked to be about 8-10 years old.

"Why?" He asked me.
Because you could crack your empty head open and I'd get sued I thought. What I said was "Because you could fall off and get hurt."
"Oh, I won't fall off." He reassured me cockily.
"Exactly, because you're not going to walk my wall anymore." I retorted.

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I remember that feeling of fearlessness being a kid, but once an adult told me to stop doing something (especially something on his property), I didn't repeat it.

Has the little brat been back?