For context, this post was written as it happened on Saturday, February 6, 2020.
I had a fun little encounter with a neighbor a few minutes ago. It’s one that had me laughing, but also kinda annoyed for the next generation.
To set the scene, my bedroom in our apartment is the closet to the park in our complex. In my room, my computer and tv are set perpendicular to the window (lack of space thanks to my four bookcases, because priorities.) If you walk past in one direction, you’re able to see what’s on my TV if I have the blinds open, which isn’t a normal thing I do.
Today, however, I have my window cracked and blinds open. I was planning on taking a bit of a mental health day – once I get my story for Febuwhump finished (that’s a post for another day), all I was going to do was blast through the last half of the story levels in Lego Batman. In fact, as motivation to finish writing and get playing, I had the game already loaded and on the home screen.
I was mid-sentence into today’s story when I heard a female voice loudly proclaim from outside, “Kids, this is what happens when you drop out of school! You don’t have a job and are a sad person playing children’s games.”
I will admit, it took me a second to understand that yes, she was directing that statement towards me, and yes, she had a group of kids with her.
I turned my head and just gave her a look. You know the one, the “are you really serious right now?” look.
She was still standing there, children chuckling around her. I wanted to say a lot of things, and nothing at all. So, I went with something simple. “Worry about your issues, and I’ll worry about mine.” Then I turned back to my computer.
I’ve dealt with this woman before. She’s part of a group of parents that has actively discouraged social distancing and mask wearing amongst their group, including the children. They have gone so far to comment on people who do wear masks, like my family.
I’m just so done with people ragging on female gamers, or people who want to play Lego games. Your gender does not dictate whether or not you can play a video game, and age shouldn’t dictate what types of games you play, for the most part anyway. (Like, don’t let your five year old play Resident Evil or whatnot. But adults have the choice to play what they want).
I don’t care about people’s comments. It’s just tiring to feel like I have to defend my choices all the time, whether it be about my family’s choice to wear a mask every time we step outside (due to worries about my immediate family’s health issues) to what I do with my free time.
As I was writing this post, I noticed that she’d returned to outside my window, though without the kids. I was doing my best to ignore her. And then.
“I don’t appreciate you talking back, kid.”
Because of course, she has to have a comment.
I honestly wasn’t in the mood to deal with her. But you know what, I opened my mouth. “Ma’am, I don’t appreciate being used as a lesson for those children. I’m thirty years old, I can use my free time as I wish. Now please, keep your comments to yourself. There’s no one here that wants to hear them.”
“You are so rude. Didn’t your mother teach you manners?” She snapped at me. Because the irony was lost to this woman.
“She did, ma’am. She also taught me that when do don’t have something nice to say, you don’t say anything at all.” This is where I finally got vicious. “But the best thing she taught me is that people who try to cut me down aren’t worth my time. So do me a favor and leave me alone.”
To my honest shock, she stormed away.
I know, I lost my temper a little. But I’m just kinda done with so many people in this town feeling like opening their mouths to say something so damn stupid is their God-given right. Sure, this was just one moment. But damn, do I feel better about it.
Honestly, I wonder what she would’ve said if I’d still been playing Disneyland Adventures. Because my rant about how Disney is for everyone, not just kids would have been legendary.
Until next time!
