The Run-In

A few months ago my neighbor stopped by with his usual "me against the world" stories, and how he didn't care what anybody said about him. So I had to casually remind him that when he was recently verbally attacked by one of our other neighbors aggressively suggesting that he remove some of the "yard art" from his front yard that he moved most of it shortly thereafter.

So while we were conversing I took the opportunity to let him know I had an issue with him parking his cars in the street all the time. The guy has 4 or 5 cars that park at his house, and you will drive into the neighborhood at times and all of them would be parked on the street.

The guy immediately began catching an attitude. I found myself explaining to a man that owns a $350K home why it is not good for the neighborhood for him to park his cars in the street.

Since they were not in the street at the time, he first tried to play dumb like he did not know what I was talking about. I called him on that, and he began quoting the deed restrictions which only restrict daily overnight parking on the street. I explained to him that the essence of the rule is so that people don't leave cars parked in the street all of the time which although his move periodically and at night his cars are always parked in the street. So to me it's basically the same problem and he needs to park his 5 cars in the 7 available parking spaces on his property.

He mentions that he is unable to park any of his cars in his 3 car garage at this time. So I ask him that since he can't park his cars on his own property that he should park his cars on the street? He stated that it was public property, and I told him that the public is telling him that there is an issue with him parking his cars in the street.

Seeing he was not going to win this argument he began to get belligerent. He told me we were all picking on him, and that he was Sicilian and we didn't know who we were messin' with ("we" is in reference to the Board of the Homeowners Association of which I am am member and probably the lady that attacked him about the yard art). That we need to be worried about why the "GD" trees that are growing over the street sign and leave him alone.

Wow! Here I am talking to a 70 year old man, that is yelling at me in front of my house.

Let me briefly take you back 3 years ago, living in a different neighborhood, I knocked on my next door neighbor's door for the same reason. I asked him to move his car and to stop parking it in front of my house. Now let me explain, this was a brother that smokes weed, is never sober (always has a cup in his hand), owns a Rottweiler that we nicknamed Cujo, has a wife that also smokes weed and curses like a sailor, and a teenage son that also smokes weed and looks like the type of guy that takes Cujo to the local dog fighting spot every weekend.

All that being said which one do you think would be the worse run-in?

Erase all stereotypes; because my man was like no problem man, and came out and moved it immediately and never parked it there again. Never a tense moment, it was no big deal at all.

But the 70 year old white man, wants to talk to me like I am his grandson? So I simply told him that I speak to him 2-3 times a week and the trees had never been a problem until I told him to move his cars, and that I am telling him that I do not want him to park his cars in the street, and that it was time for him to go on back to his house.

He left and did the usual walk and talk, of which I pretty much ignored. He then called my next door neighbor who is the President of the Homeowners Association and complained about our confrontation. Ironically, most of the time I talk to this guy (the guy that parks his cars in the street) he is usually complaining about him (the president). I had previously told the president I was going to say something to this guy about the parking situation and he agreed, but on this phone call he folded like a lawn chair. Then had the nerve a few days later to try to shake my hand congratulating me for addressing the situation.

This brings me to the whole point of this blog entry (you probably thought it was to prove that I am right)... You can't tell a white man nothing! Especially when you look like me!! I talked to this guy all the time, but I tried to tell him not to do something and he catches an attitude. My neighbor agrees with me, but when he gets a call from his brethren he falls back in line and supports his fellow white man in doing whatever it is he wants to do.

He actually did stop parking his cars out there as much. It would only be 1 car from time to time. Until, my other neighbor got involved. The woman across the street from me (that is white and looks like she bites), also confronted him about the parking situation. I have not seen a car since.....

So after the white woman says something it's put to rest or otherwise stated after it stated to him by anyone that does not look like me!