I took my two toddlers to the park today. There are several picnic tables, and when we got there, only one was in use — a group of elderly folks playing cards. I picked a table a bit away from them, sat our things down, and took the kids over to the playground.
After a while, I came back to find that the group had moved all of their stuff over to the table we were using, pushing our stuff down to the end. For context, there were still at least four other empty tables available, and they were all shaded.
They didn’t seem to speak the same language as me, but I tried to explain we were already using that table. They just smiled and nodded like I wasn’t saying anything meaningful. I was honestly kind of stunned. At first, I thought maybe I should just move to avoid conflict, but then I figured no. It’s a public park, and I got there first. I wasn’t going to let myself be pushed out of my spot for no good reason.
So instead of leaving, I sat right back down at the table, squished next to them, and started blasting Rage Against the Machine from my phone at full volume. Then I started to play the drums to the best on the table. After a few minutes of that, they gathered their things and left.
My toddlers were happy, we still had our spot, and I went on with my day. Reddit, am I the asshole here?
Comments
^^^^AUTOMOD Thanks for posting! This comment is a copy of your post so readers can see the original text if your post is edited or removed. This comment is NOT accusing you of copying anything. Read this before contacting the mod team
I took my two toddlers to the park today. There are several picnic tables, and when we got there, only one was in use — a group of elderly folks playing cards. I picked a table a bit away from them, sat our things down, and took the kids over to the playground.
After a while, I came back to find that the group had moved all of their stuff over to the table we were using, pushing our stuff down to the end. For context, there were still at least four other empty tables available, and they were all shaded.
They didn’t seem to speak the same language as me, but I tried to explain we were already using that table. They just smiled and nodded like I wasn’t saying anything meaningful. I was honestly kind of stunned. At first, I thought maybe I should just move to avoid conflict, but then I figured no. It’s a public park, and I got there first. I wasn’t going to let myself be pushed out of my spot for no good reason.
So instead of leaving, I sat right back down at the table, squished next to them, and started blasting Rage Against the Machine from my phone at full volume. Then I started to play the drums to the best on the table. After a few minutes of that, they gathered their things and left.
My toddlers were happy, we still had our spot, and I went on with my day. Reddit, am I the asshole here?
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
Welcome to /r/AmITheAsshole. Please view our voting guide here, and remember to use only one judgement in your comment.
OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the asshole:
> 1. Loudly playing music and drumming on the table.
2. I could have easily gone to another table and avoided the situation, but I chose to engage.
Help keep the sub engaging!
Don’t downvote assholes!
Do upvote interesting posts!
Click Here For Our Rules and Click Here For Our FAQ
Subreddit Announcements
Follow the link above to learn more
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
Contest mode is 1.5 hours long on this post.
NTA. They were being bullies.
NTA. You had me after the moved your belongings!
NTA…They knew someone was using the table. They took their chances and suffered the results. I don’t know what their game was, but you did nothing wrong.
ESH – They were rude and you were certainly entitled to confront them and stand your grand. But playing loud music in public is just unacceptable so you lost me there.
> I tried to explain we were already using that table
You weren’t, though. You were at the playground.
The picnic tables are for people to sit at, not for your junk to be left unattended.
YTA.
ESH They should not have moved your stuff if other tables were available but you weren’t actually using the table either. You just had your stuff on it. You could have easily moved to another table too.
NTA. They tried to bully you out of the park, and you simply matched their energy.
ESH.
It’s a public park. And why would you leave your belongings on a public table where they could get stolen/damaged?
ESH. Everyone in this story was on a power trip.
You shouldn’t be leaving your belongings unattended or trying to reserve tables in a public place. Since there were plenty of other tables you should’ve just moved to a different one when you came back.
Very weird that the other people tried to take the table with your stuff already at it.
ESH. You were fine until you started blasting music in a public area. That is absolutely asshole behavior.
NTA. Don’t come to the park if you don’t want to hear the truth!
ESH 2 wrongs dont make a right. Grow up.
Absolutely, YTA, in the best possible way. I would have done exactly the same thing, but I probably would have chosen something like War Pigs – Black Sabbath.
Nope NTA. It’s a public park, there were other tables, they were originally at a different table, and they specifically moved to the one where your stuff was. You did well in your response.
ESH
YTA – i have no idea how you took anything they did personally? Sounds like a personality disorder there.
esh
NTA. You didn’t do what they told you!
NTA. Petty AF but I 100% would have done the same thing 😅 if someone has no situational awareness, all the sudden I do too. 🤭
It’s funny because I came here expecting to say yes but, after reading what happened, nope! NTA
NTA but at the same time you never know when something is going to push someone over the edge and they retaliate in a physical way and since you had small children with you, I don’t think you behaved with their best interests at heart. The situation wasn’t that serious so there was no need to stand your ground.
NTA. They should have been old enough to know better, and I’d bet the farm they knew exactly what you were saying. Had that stunt pulled on me by inconsiderate neighbors about something to the point that I had to call the cops. Cop asked if I had tried to talk to them first, said yes I did and got “No understand English”. Cop came back and first thing she said is “They understand and speak English perfectly well.”.
NTA, I cannot believe they moved your belongings! That’s wild! You matched their energy!
NTA.
You are my spirit animal.
NTA
There were other picnic tables. Your stuff was occupying that table so they had no business touching it.
I’m not sure if they thought they were either doing you a favour or teaching you a lesson. But either way, you didn’t ask for it.
Did you ever stop to think that maybe they wanted to keep you and your kids company? Like, old people love kids!
Or maybe they were keeping an eye on your stuff while you walked away? But instead of engaging with them you turned the situation into a confrontation.
Granted, they shouldn’t have moved your stuff but the fact that they moved closer to where you were after you had walked away doesn’t seem like they were being malicious.
YTA – You could have been more mature and handled the situation better and with more grace but instead you decided to be petty towards some old people who were probably just looking out for you but couldn’t communicate that due to a language barrier.
I underarms the urge, but I would have just used one of the other open, shaded tables that you mentioned were available.
NTA though, I guess.
100% NTA, however I am sure there are some Redditors that will call you out for ‘causing conflict’ instead of just capitulating but I’m with you, if we let every little thing go then soon it will only be big things that we no longer have a voice for. I commend you for standing your ground.
ESH.
Bizarre behaviour on their part — you don’t move people’s stuff.
However, I don’t think you should be “saving” a table for yourself if you aren’t using it. I would keep my stuff in the stroller, wagon, bag, etc. unless and until I’m actually sat at the table. It’s the same mentality as using towels to save pool chairs.
You did nothing wrong in scaring them off, but saving a table you aren’t using is also strange.
YTA
It would be one thing if there were no tables available and you just left your stuff there while off playing, but with other tables open there is no reason for their behaviour
NTA
NTA. You’re allowed your own space
NTA, don’t act dumb like I wasn’t here and using this table first!
Sure from the title I was like wow, prick, but then reading it l definitely NTA
NTA. Congrats on finding a nonviolent and nonconfrontational way to right this wrong.
NTA
Good touch with the rage against the machine, I might have added some NWA fuck the police, or Wu-tang.
NTA. Being a senior citizen does not give one the right to be an asshole.
Love it!
Yta….to your kids. You risked putting them in harms way all to own some…..checks notes elderly people.
Were they rude? Absolutely. But youre put numbered and with small kids. You prioritized your ego and winning over their safety.
NTA. They understood you perfectly, just chose to pretend to be poor ol old folks who don’t speak no language. Bullsheiiit. You did right.
[removed]
EHS
YTA. People actively using the tables have priority over those saving them for later.
YTA
show some respect to your elders and no reason to act like a dick, especially since they didnt speak your language, and there were other tables right there
Can we get a bot that checks if something is likely written by AI 😩😭
NTA. Who the hell does that? So rude. They wanted you and your kids to leave probably.
What lesson did your kids take from this?
“Fuck you I won’t do what you tell me!” LOL awesome
Nope NTA
The older people were wrong for taking the table. OP was not wrong for taking back the spot, but was wrong for blaring the music. ESH
So incredibly NTA. I can’t believe there are people saying you’re somehow at fault for this.
Do some people not know what a day/picnic at the park is? It is ok to put your stuff on a table and walk away to spend time with your kiddos and come back to eat, grab snacks or whatnot. That’s the whole point of OP’s post
NTA. At all. You put your stuff down, they had no reason to move to your table.
They were purposely trying to crowd you out, and had moved your shit.
You, in turn, showed them a mirror of their own behaviour. Updated, of course.
I think it was the valid play, given the situation.