Barking Neighbours.

Most People See The World As They Are.

I wanted to throw both women through their house window, a minute after knocking on their door.

The homeowner opened the door with her daughter standing just behind her. Their builders had damaged my car – they had covered my car in plaster and while “cleaning” the mess on my car, left scratches all over it. I told the women about the situation and asked for the builder’s details. I also pointed to my car with the scratches and said I had pictures of the plaster on my car.

At this point, most people would just pass on the builder’s details, but this isn’t what they did.

Instead, they refused and attacked me. Raising their voice while screwing up their faces. I don’t usually swear but the only way to describe them is bitchy. They claimed it was my fault – I shouldn’t have parked next to a building with scaffolding. I told them, their builder had been doing guttering work for the last two weeks so there was no way for me to know they were going to be plastering – they didn’t put up a sign or inform the neighbours which they are supposed to do.

The bitchy women responded, screwing their faces more, saying I was just trying to make some money off them. I thought they thought I was trying to make them liable for the situation. So I calmly explained I wasn’t blaming them and I didn’t even want money, I just wanted my car to be repaired and that their builders were liable.

The daughter responded “OK that’s your plan. You want them to pay your body shop” implying they were my friends. The homeowner then told me she wouldn’t give me her builder’s details.

The daughter then told me the builders aren’t liable explaining if someone opens their door and leaves a dink on your car, you can’t claim. I told them “You can if you know who it was”. The daughter replied, “Then take legal action” and the homeowner said “Don’t knock on our door again!” and slammed the door.

I walked away shocked and slightly confused – that’s not how it was supposed to go.

By the time I walked home, I was pissed. I understand accidents happen but people should fix their faults especially if there is proof. The damage to my car was small, maybe £100-150.

But more importantly, I wanted justice.

The next morning, I contacted the police who advised me to submit a police report, which I did.

After submitting the report, I started to think about what I should do next which led me to a decision I really hated.

I dropped the charges. The amount of time and money to go to court to get my car fixed wasn’t worth it. In addition, my insurance would go up next year even if I won. And if I lost the case, it could cost me a lot. Financially and time/energy-wise, it made sense to drop the case.

It was the logical decision but that didn’t make it easy as I knew those bitchy women got away with it.

The next few days, I kept thinking whether I’d made the right decision or whether I should reverse it.

I wanted them to feel the pain and anger I felt. I wanted to teach them a lesson. I wanted justice.

How they behaved annoyed me more than the actual damage to my car – their aggressive behaviour and their accusation of me.

Part of me also hoped they would change how they behave if I took legal action against them. Or at the very least, they would think twice before being bithcy to someone.

As the days passed and I became a little bit less angry at the whole situation, I started wondering how bad your life has to be to assume the worst in people and attack people when they have been wronged.

I spoke to a few people on our street who have said the homeowner is a nasty miserable woman and has caused them problems.

I started feeling sorry for them - I wouldn’t trade being them, but my sympathy towards them didn’t last long. They were arseholes to me and they will continue to be arseholes to other people.

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Two weeks after the argument, I noticed the homeowner's husband walking strangely across the street. I was in my car so I stopped to see if he was ok.

He was crossing the road towards his neighbour's garden. He kept on looking up strangely towards his neighbour’s upstairs windows. Initially, I wasn’t sure if he was looking for help or noticed something strange, like damage to their property (and was checking to let them know). But as he continued to walk and got closer to their house, he looked more suspicious.

So I waited and just watched him.

He then stopped. Had one more quick look around. And he started picking fruit from his neighbour’s overhanging fruit tree (berries or grapes – I wasn’t close enough to see).

He was looking into their house to make sure he wouldn’t get caught.

We assume everyone is like us and people are like us and those closest to us.

When their husband/father is a thief, it’s no surprise they assume and treat everyone as thieves.