Man threatens autistic neighbor after he desecrates household appliance. AITA?
When this neighbor feels guilty, he asks Reddit:
'Am I wrong for threatening my autistic neighbor after he desecrated my household appliance?'
About two weeks ago now I had a get together with friends that ended up getting a bit raucous. We all need to blow off stem as we work in a stressful field. My neighbor, who I was only strong acquaintances with ended up latching onto the party, which I had no issue with especially considering that he does not seem to have many friends.
There were 7 guests total, and around midnight after a large amount of alcohol had been consumed my two best pals and I were sitting around the fire pit. I started to notice the other 5 were getting particularly loud inside, not knowing why I assumed they were drunk and having a good time.
That's when it happened, uproarious shouting that could not be ignored, then one of my friends who was inside ran out to get me.
'He's peeing on your microwave!!!' I could hardly register what was being said at first. I followed him inside where I then saw my neighbor attempting to zip up his pants in his delirious state, smoke was indeed coming off of the microwave and it was visibly dripping wet. My friends were just standing around in shock.
I grabbed my neighbor and tried to get him to look at me but he was not exactly present, just smirking which pissed me off greatly. I yelled at him and pushed him out of my house. He must have fallen asleep on my lawn.
Some of my pals stuck around the help with the cleanup job before leaving. I was so exhausted and out of it I feel asleep on the couch shortly thereafter.
I'm awoken by a knock at the door, 8 am or so. The neighbor is now at my door, pleading not to tell his family about this incident. I had gone to bed so late that I felt hungover and angry to even be awake. I snapped, I ranted about how I would destroy his life and wouldn't rest until he lost his job, wife and kids. I didn't really mean this things and was excessively harsh.
He begins blubbering, punching walls and whaling. It was at this point it dawned on me that he has some kind of disability. It had been a passing thought before but it wasn't something I had really registered.
He ran away in this distressed state and I suddenly felt bad for losing my cool on him. Am I wrong for treated a disabled person this way even after what he did?
Let's see what readers had to say.
logicalwasabi writes:
YTA. It's just a microwave. Yes he was disrespectful and broke your stuff. But threatening someone over something as easily replaceable as a microwave is excessive regardless of the person's mental capabilities. Meaning it is not okay to threaten to destroy anyone's life over the microwave.
Yes, he owes you a new microwave, but you owe him an apology. And don't expect to see him over ever again, he knows you're not a safe person anymore.
dynastydragon09 writes:
While he was definitely a jackass for what he did and 100% needs to replace your microwave, you going full nuclear on him like that was a bit much. Even if he has no disability or impairment I would say you went over the line bringing his kids into it. ESH.
intelligenthumor09 writes:
NTA. Since he 'whipped' it out, file a criminal complaint. The court will ensure he pays for a new microwave and he will think very strongly before he does it again. You have enough witnesses, so it should be a slam dunk.
Being autistic isn't an excuse for this type of behavior. I grew up in a neighborhood with an autistic kid. He fondled the neighborhood girls. He got away with it for years because everyone felt sorry that he was autistic.