Woman wants $50 to let stranger pick apples from her tree; stranger wants it for free.
A stranger wanted to pick apples from my tree and got upset when I told her she had to pay.
Flowerflours writes:
I work from home, and today, a woman I did not know knocked on my front door. When I answered the door, I was in the middle of a work Zoom meeting that I was co-leading and was a little irritated because she kept ringing the doorbell until I could answer.
The woman told me she was driving by my house and could see my large apple tree in my backyard filled with big apples. She then asked if she could come into my backyard to pick them for herself to take home. I explained that it wasn't a good time as I was working.
She dismissed my words and further insisted that she wouldn't bother me but wanted me to let her into my backyard through the locked gate so she could pick the apples for herself to make jam while I worked.
I felt she was being pushy and not listening to me, so I told her again that it wasn't a good time. Once more, she interrupted me and told me that she was driving by randomly, so she might not be on my side of town again, and it would work best for her to pick them now.
At this point, I was worried about my meeting and getting irritated, so I told her she could pick them if she gave me $50, almost to appease her or maybe make her go away. She became very angry at my offer and started yelling on my porch.
She insisted that I should give them to her for free because there was no way I could eat all the apples, and they would probably go to waste or rot in my yard. She yelled at me, claiming she was doing me a favor by taking the apples and that I should actually pay her.
I was kind of dumbstruck at this point that the strange woman was yelling at me for not letting her onto my private property during the workday to take things from my yard for free and getting mad for telling her no.
I again told her that if she wanted to pay me, I would let her do it, but she couldn't do it for free now. She ended up giving me the middle finger and huffing off to her car while telling me I was selfish and greedy.
So, AITA for not letting a stranger come into my backyard to pick food for free to take home without paying me for it?
OP responded to some comments.
Severe_Assignment943 says:
NTA (Not the A%#hole). This was an entitled crazy person. You'd have been taking a big risk if you'd said yes, because letting a crazy person onto your property can lead to bigger issues.
OP responded:
This was my thinking at first, I didn’t know her and she was a stranger. I’m not someone that would randomly knock on someone’s door so for me it seemed out of my comfort to begin with.
DahDebil says:
NTA (Not the A%#hole). You don't owe anyone free things. Owning something means you have complete control over the use and distribution of it.
If she was politer, of offered to split what she picked with you, perhaps. But her demanding your property just makes her an entitled AH, and nothing else.
ParsimoniousSalad says:
Next post: Entitled stranger fell in my yard while stealing apples from my tree. Now they're suing me... NTA
LowBalance4404 says:
NTA, but I think you might be TA to yourself if this is an example of how you say "no" to people. "No." is the entire answer and doesn't need to be followed up with anything. She asks, you say, "Oh...no. Have a great day" and close the door. There was no need for any further conversation.
OP responded:
It’s an annoying fault of mine as I am naturally a pushover. I was a little frozen in place on my porch when she kept pushing which is why I didn’t slam the door. I just wanted her to leave and she wasn’t wanting to.
DogToursWTHBorders says:
You're not the a%#hole, but you might be living in an 80s movie. You see, that was no ordinary apple hag. This was a test.
She'll visit you thrice... and each time, she'll ask for something you hold even more dear than her last request. You should have given the witch her apples...NTA, but we ALL know there's no happy ending here for OP.
OP responded:
My own personal, Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre…
Trippedwire48 says:
NTA. You're my hero. I would've told something over $100 just so she'd leave. Do you have cameras? I'd be concerned about her stopping by again, given her response and audacious behavior. If she does, tell her you'll report her for trespassing on your private property and harassment if she comes to your home again and shut the door in her face.
OP said:
I don’t have cameras and I’m a single mom which is why I’m naturally hesitant of strangers on my property. I don’t know why I said $50 now I feel like I opened a floodgate for looking like it was an invite to a stranger.
What do you think? What should've OP have done?