AITA for only picking up basketballs that get thrown in my yard once a day?
I moved into this house a few weeks ago and have run into an annoying issue. So behind my house is a small neighborhood park that has a basketball court. My house is directly behind the hoops. So an absolute ton of basketballs get thrown into my yard. This led to a bunch of kids always coming to my door asking me to get their balls. If this happened once a day I wouldn’t mind so much, but it happens multiple times a day.
Worst part is that it happens usually around the time when I am in my home office working. I have sometimes have appointments with clients that I need to talk to uninterrupted. I also have other paperwork to get done and don’t want to interrupted my work flow just to get some kids basketball.
So I put up a sign on my front door that said I would not be answering the door during this time, but would go pick up any balls that landed in my yard and leave them on my porch once a day in the morning. Well various people have not been happy with that and want their balls back right away. Mainly my next door neighbor whose kids use the court a lot.
The first day I didn’t answer the door for her kids she came over and pounded on my door. I went to see what was up because I thought it was an emergency and it was just my neighbor hulking out about the damn balls. Since she’s so angry I refuse to open the door and talk to her through the door. That pisses her off even more. I tell her I’m not talking to her unless she calms down. She sort of lowers her voice. Then she’s says I have no right to keep her kids balls. I tell her I’m busy and doing work. She says since it only takes a minute to go and get their ball and her kids ask nicely I should just do it. Even though it happens multiple times, so it’s not just a minute.
There is also an issue with the balls I leave on my porch being stolen by other people. My neighbor says that since I’m being a dick and not getting their balls right away I am responsible for them and I need to buy replacements. I said its her problem and she can talk to the city about installing some kind of net around the hoop.
Am I the As*hole?
