Homeowner Says Teen Mowed Lawn Without Asking, Then His Mom Came Over to Ask Why He Wasn't Paid
In a Reddit post, the homeowner said that the boy's mom "just kept saying that it was a kind gesture" and didn't understand what the big deal was
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Stock image of young boy mowing lawnA man who recently moved is into his first home has already run into an unusual problem with his neighbors.
In a post on Reddit's “Am I the A------?,” the 29-year-old homeowner wrote that he felt he was off to a good start with his neighbors, which included a 43-year-old woman and her 13-year-old son.
However, he wrote that one day, he was sitting on the couch when he realized the teen was outside, "mowing my front lawn."
"I was confused, since I'd never asked him to and he'd never offered. I went out and politely asked him why he was doing it - he said he did it for lots of neighbors, and quickly added they give him $5 for it," the man wrote.
Instead, the man said he "thanked" the teen, who hadn't finished the job yet, and went on to tell the boy that "since I hadn't asked or wanted him to do it, I wasn't going to be paying him."
"He said OK, and quietly left, "the man added.
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But the following day, the boy's mom "arrived on my doorstep and angrily asked me why I hadn't paid her son."
"I basically repeated what I'd said to her son, but she wouldn't accept it," he added. "She just kept saying that it was a kind gesture, and that he does it for all the other neighbors. She also said $5 isn't a lot of money and I could have just gave it to him."
Although he attempted to explain his reasoning, he said the boy's mom "basically tuned me out and ended up walking away as I was talking."
A week later, the man said that the situation remained uncomfortable — and that he was worried "she might try to send her poor kid back to collect the money, or even mow the lawn again."
After talking to family and friends about what happened, the man said he's gotten mixed reactions, so he decided to ask the internet what they thought. As it turned out, most of the thousands of commenters took his side.
“There needs to be communication before the kid does this sort of thing. And you stopped him once you noticed what was happening. You didn't wait for him to finish and then question him. You weren't trying to get free work," read one commenter, who went on to suggest that the man check in with the neighbors who have "been there longer" to see what they think.
Others pointed out that although $5 isn't a lot of money, that wasn't really the issue at hand.
"Just diving in and sticking his hand out afterwards is a polite shakedown," read one reply. "And of course this doesn't take into account potential damage to your yard, because without talking to you first, he has no idea what you might have going on."
Meanwhile, a less serious suggestion raised the idea of one of the pettier options available.
Wrote one commenter, "I would be so tempted to go and do something to her house or garden & then send her an invoice."
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