'AITA for laughing at a woman when she complained about 'gangs' in our apartment?'
"AITA for giggling at a family's problems during an HOA meeting?"
hot_faced13 writes:
This happened this past Sunday. My dad and stepmom are out on a small trip and I'm pet-sitting their cat and staying at their apartment while they're out. My dad asked me to attend the "HOA" (not sure how to call it, we live in Mexico and we don't have an HOA in the U.S. sense) meeting due to some points about renovations, and other important issues that would be touched upon.
During the meeting, there was an "open mic" moment to discuss other matters in a more neutral way. One of the neighbors, a woman that we'll call Carol, raised a concern about the ongoing issue with the "gang" that's been terrorizing the complex for a while now, and how nothing had been done to stop this.
The gang in question? A group of kids between 6 to 10 years old. Their "clear gang activities"? Talking about games in the elevator/corridors, playing in the main plaza after school, going from Tower A to B to pick up some of the other kids, or getting toys out to go play.
I know some of them. They sometimes come to the apartment asking for band-aids or to get one of my nephews to go play with them. Really good kids in my opinion. The most outrageous thing they've done was hit a garden light with a ball and break it, which they took full accountability for and told management as soon as it happened.
According to Carol, the kids are an issue and they make her feel HIGHLY uncomfortable because she can tell all of them are "up to no good." Her daughter, mid-teens, added that she feels so insecure when she's home alone because more than once the kids have come up to her door and tried the door handle, banged on it, and even tried picking the lock.
Mind you, her apartment is across from my dad's, and the kids only knock on his door twice a week when my nephew is there. She also said she felt unsafe walking anywhere near the plaza because she felt "watched" by, again, a bunch of kids between 6 and 10 years old.
The husband was also very mad because, according to him, he's seen them running around the underground parking lot, and I quote, "Keying cars and trying to open them, probably to steal the cars or whatever is inside!" which cannot be true because all minors need to be accompanied by an adult or a security guard to access the parking area, to avoid any accident.
I couldn't help it and snorted, then giggled when Mr. Dad added that whole bit about kids trying to steal cars, because as we all know, kids are into that kind of stuff. Carol began to ask what was so funny and why I thought that "gang" activity was funny, when I could be the next one to be attacked.
I probably messed up by telling her that I doubt a bunch of kids who look for anthills to kick are crime masterminds, which of course got a couple of giggles from other neighbors. Carol is now mad at me and my dad for raising "someone who supports gangs." My dad doesn't give a s^#t because he hates Carol, but my stepmom is also mad at me for not taking this seriously. In some way, somehow, am I the a^&*ole?
People responded to OP's post.
ReviewOk929 says:
Doesn't sound like there's very much to take seriously, other than Carol wanting to stop 6-10 year olds having some innocent fun. NTA.
Extension_Manager_41 says:
NTA. I also live in México, and some of my neighbors are also entitled lunatics. Children existing in Carol's vicinity shouldn't be maligned this way. México takes slander laws pretty seriously. Perhaps Carol should shut her yap before she runs afoul of the law?
SalaudChaud says:
In no way, no how, are you the a&#%ole. NTA.
OP responded:
According to Carol? I was clearly raised in a barn and I support all forms of crime for not supporting her on finding a way to stop this clear gang activity. According to my stepmom? I am unemphatic cuz this may sound silly to me but it's clearly important and impactful to The Carols.