My house is in the end of a cul-de-sac and the lounge/ dining area where we spend most of our time has a very large window looking into the street so this unfolded in full view:
Last week, cousin Dave from next door (Dave is distantly related to me and is in early stages of dementia) went to collect our bins. He likes to be helpful and it is one less job for us to do so I appreciate it. Anyway, he grabbed the neighbour's bin and put it on our drive. I'm going to suppose the dementia played a part in the mistake but I also feel like it could happen to anyone if they were a bit distracted.
The young bloke from the white house across the road ran out and yelled at Dave for taking his bin. Dave got a bit defensive and said he didn't and kicked the bin. Then there was a ten minute discussion/argument which went on while the woman from the white house filmed the whole thing.
It all seemed quite excessive for a bin that actually belongs to the council. Dave was quite upset and has told all of us that the woman called him a not-nice name.
Then, on Sunday we noticed that a camera has been placed in the window of the white house and it appears to look straight into my bedroom so Briony went across and asked about it. She also informed them that Dave isn't well and he was probably confused and they said it was no excuse. I think dementia is one of the best excuses for a small and inconsequential mistake but that's just me.
The people in the white house are scared that Dave will damage their cars so they have put a camera in the window while they wait for professional cameras to be installed next week.
The whole thing is going to inspire bitter humour in our place for some time to come.
It is too bad about the row with the neighbor guy. It is not like Dave was putting it on a truck to haul off. They could easily have moved it to the right place. That is so mean. And, I would hate that camera aimed at my bedroom window.
ReplyDeleteIf they could be a tiny bit civilised, they would know that Dave is no threat. They tell us they've moved the camera but we still can't be sure what kind of view they have
DeleteI am so sorry for Dave. Dementia is a dang good excuse for all sorts of things. I assume the folks in the white house have never had a relative who has it or they would absolutely understand.
ReplyDeleteI think they probably have some idea that they've realised they were out of line and are digging in. The whole thing makes me sick with it's inhumanity
DeleteOh dear, that all sounds very fraught. The people in the white house seem to be drastically over-reacting to the mistake with the bin. Putting a camera in the window that looks straight into your bedroom is intrusive and crazy. I hope you can steer a path through all this absurdity.
ReplyDeleteFortunately it won't really affect me when the other cameras go in but I am disturbed that these people are so untrusting and reactive over such a small thing. If someone takes our bin by mistake, we just go get it
DeleteI don't like the people in the White House. This all has escalation potential. How do we calm it all down? People who dig in when they know they are in the wrong are a pain in the arse.
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I've never liked the people in the white house but now I have a reason :) It does have escalation potential and Dave already thinks they have broken a plant of his. I don't think they did but even if it's imagined it can lead to "pay back"
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