Did I do a bad thing?

[Woodpecker]

I think you did the right thing. Kids now days have no respect at all. It's like I tell my kids THEY WILL NEVER FIND YOU'RE BODY!!

Was it Bill Cosby or Richard Pryor that said their dad would tell them "I'LL JUST KILL YOU AND MAKE ANOTHER ONE THAT LOOKS JUST LIKE YOU!"

Woodpecker

 

[willstradamus]

Why it escalated to the point it did was:

First, I made it clear that my offer was for two dollars to find my disc which I already had in my hand when he started feeling around for my disc. When I saw the lady's disc, I put the two bucks away and pulled out the five and made it clear to him that the five was for both discs.

Well, when I held the five out, he snatched it out of my hand and then told me he was keeping the disc. It was pretty obvious from the look on his face that he thought he had gotten away with something. No doubt in my mind, if he hadn't been standing in water up to his waist, he would have broke and run with one or both discs.

Second, what a mouth this kid had on him. He never cussed until he thought he'd pulled a move on me. Arrogance, plain and simple, like what are you going to do about now?

I'm big on lessons and this kid definitely needed one.

Up until that point, even if he hadn't found my disc, I was going to give him the two bucks anyway just for his effort.

Would I have jumped in the water? Damn right, in a quarter of a second but I know I wouldn't have hit him. I would, however, have gotten my money and her disc back just to teach him a lesson.

I didn't say this in the original post because I have a tendency to write novels as you can see.

Woodpecker

so basically, you already thought u did the right thing but just wanted to see if everyone agreed with you?

 

[Lewis]

All things considered, I think you handled the situation admirably.

 

[willstradamus]

I dont think you did wrong by asking him to retrieve the disc or offering to pay or trade for the other person's disc. However when he wanted to argue, you could've used that time to set an example of how to be an adult and just walked away.

 

[Lewis]

when he wanted to argue, you could've used that time to set an example of how to be an adult and just walked away.

That would have encouraged and rewarded his belligerence, and shown him nothing about being an adult.

 

[kunipshunfit]

That would have encouraged and rewarded his belligerence, and shown him nothing about being an adult.

Yeah - however ultimately - at the end of the day. It is not his responsibility to be the 'father' of this child.

Look at it from the other perspective. If that boy's father would have walked up and saw/heard the older man threatening the young boy. Regardless of the reason why - the person posting this would either be in Jail, or would have been in a fight. That's true now, or 20/30 years ago.

It sounds like the agreement was altered, meaning the original agreement was for the boy to come over and retrieve the man's lost disc. Before that disc was pulled another disc came out of the water. At that point the poster then altered the deal, there is no mention here if the boy actually agreed to the deal. I'm guessing he did not.

At that point the boy has done a favor for the person posting this. It seems like when the boy said 'no' to the new deal the person posting this got upset.

From all accounts it seems like the boy did not start cussing like a sailor until he was threatened.

 

[trifocal]

Woodpecker...nice post/thread.

Its a no win situation for you. They take the discs or your money or both and you get abused to boot. Or you challenge them and risk being labeled the bully.

Not my idea of fun.

I can't help but write an anecdote. I'm walking my dog. On a public sidewalk. The dog has tags and shots. I've got poop bags in my pocket. 3 guys sitting on a front porch. I look at them. One says..."what you looking at?" (insert attitude)
I've got several options here, but none of them are really satisfying.

Personally, I don't think you did anything right...or wrong. Somebody ( The Kid ) was looking for something.....a disc...cash...a Mexican Standoff or a fight. Or maybe just gaining face with his younger followers.

You responded in the moment.

Its a complicated issue because it takes the Return Lost Discs thread and Trash On The Course Thread and combines them.

You did your best in a bad situation and then offered it up for anonymous public scrutiny...... good for you, dude. Doing the right thing and then questioning it is what philosphers have been doing for centuries.

I could throw with Woodpecker...

 

[trifocal]

I should add that I disagree with anyone who thinks children at large and in public and unsupervised should be given carte blanche and should not be challanged by responsible adults. Thats just dumb. It has nothing to do with being the kids father...its a social responsiblity.

 

[trifocal]

This happened to me this week.

I'm at the local park and practicing throws. My bag is on the ground at one spot at there's some trees about 280 in the other direction. I'm throwing multiple discs back and forth. School lets out and kids filter through the park.
I'm near the trees collecting discs and getting ready to throw back to my bag.
I look up and a kid ( a girl, maybe 12 ) is going through my bag. I call to her and her group of 4-5 kids and say cut it out..thats my stuff. THEN...she reaches into my bag and throws a couple discs...

Clearly she's messing about... I walk over there and ask her why she's been looking in my bag. She says....I didn't know it was yours. I say, but you saw me when I shouted to you to cut it out. No answer to that. Then I say...let me look in your back pack. She's not down with this. Its mine she says. I say yes it is, but whats the difference...you went through my bag, now I'd like to go through yours. It got quiet then.

 

[kunipshunfit]

I should add that I disagree with anyone who thinks children at large and in public and unsupervised should be given carte blanche and should not be challanged by responsible adults. Thats just dumb. It has nothing to do with being the kids father...its a social responsiblity.

Exactly my point, most 13year old kids know a lot about social responsibility - maybe say as much as the much older adult...<Insert Sarcasm here>

Also - I never said kids should not be responsible. As a point of reference, I feel those kids should have been supervised. That is a failing of the parents, but that does not give others the right to intimidate. Educate yes, intimidate no.

Moving along from the above mentioned quote which seems to want to start an argument. I have said before, I agree with the ultimate goal - just not how it was achieved, it is indeed a no win situation.

 

[BrotherDave]

I'm 24 and raised by parents liberal enough that the only discipline I ever received from them in the true sense of the word were so few and far between that I don't remember them growing up and I have to say I completely agree with Woodpecker and whoever said it takes a village to raise a child. All this PC mess is doing is raising a society of cowards and bullies. In the timeless lyrics of Brand Nubian, "Punks jump up to get beat down."

 

[Omega SuperSloth]

gee thanks mister 2.50 for a $15 disc, i wouldnt want to wait on your table moneybags

 

[solomon.trenton]

Why it escalated to the point it did was:

First, I made it clear that my offer was for two dollars to find my disc which I already had in my hand when he started feeling around for my disc. When I saw the lady's disc, I put the two bucks away and pulled out the five and made it clear to him that the five was for both discs.

Well, when I held the five out, he snatched it out of my hand and then told me he was keeping the disc. It was pretty obvious from the look on his face that he thought he had gotten away with something. No doubt in my mind, if he hadn't been standing in water up to his waist, he would have broke and run with one or both discs.

Second, what a mouth this kid had on him. He never cussed until he thought he'd pulled a move on me. Arrogance, plain and simple, like what are you going to do about now?

I'm big on lessons and this kid definitely needed one.

Up until that point, even if he hadn't found my disc, I was going to give him the two bucks anyway just for his effort.

Would I have jumped in the water? Damn right, in a quarter of a second but I know I wouldn't have hit him. I would, however, have gotten my money and her disc back just to teach him a lesson.

I didn't say this in the original post because I have a tendency to write novels as you can see.

Woodpecker

if i was wearing a belt i would have yanked it off grabbed his arm and beat his smart ass mouth senseless. you have to use the metal buckle so it burns to sit down. those kids deserve to get put into a child boot camp and taught respect.

 

[ejvogie]

gee thanks mister 2.50 for a $15 disc, i wouldnt want to wait on your table moneybags

What? Should he have given the kid $15?? Just get a brand new one at that rate

 

[valkyriefb11]

gee thanks mister 2.50 for a $15 disc, i wouldnt want to wait on your table moneybags

he wasnt buying the disc off him ... 2.50 to hand someone a disc isn't bad at all.

 

[Omega SuperSloth]

if i find a disc with a number and name im not going to just give it to someone who says they know them some of the little kids who play dont have cellphones and do go home and call the person ive had that happen to me and i just let him keep it even though it was brand new champion plastic i left it there he found it the point is you assummed the worst maybe this kid didnt trust you(isnt that what we teach them Stranger)and thought you were trying to lie your way into a 2.50 disc im not saying your a liar but it wouldnt be the first time someone lied about a disc

 

[treethacker]

Uuuuuuuh,if you just went ahead and walked in the stinky creek and got the disc(s) yourself couldn't all of this been avoided?You probably would of survived the smell to.

 

[Omega SuperSloth]

im to rich and my linens are to fine to venture into this unperfumed water, you young peasent boy fetch my sporting device and i shall reward you with a shiny nickel for your service(the young lad then explains to lord woodpecker where it was best for him to store said nickel).

 

[mmyersdisc]

im to rich and my linens are to fine to venture into this unperfumed water, you young peasent boy fetch my sporting device and i shall reward you with a shiny nickel for your service(the young lad then explains to lord woodpecker where it was best for him to store said nickel).

got a grudge? lay off him man, this damn thread is getting so much hostility its dumb! The little basterd child deserved to learn some respect! Im only 21 and would have done the same thing! His intentions were to just scare the kid, im almost sure he wouldn't have actually followed through with it. The fact that the kid tried to take his money and keep the disc was just rude, yes he was a young kid, so what? Omega, you ever think that maybe woodpecker was a little ways away from home and didn't want to get his clothes all nasty in the water? hell I wouldn't want to go in the water if I seen some kids playing in it that could get it alot easier then I! it was a nice gesture to offer money to the kid.

 

[Lewis]

I wonder if there was a more "civil" way for Woodpecker to get his friend's disc back to her. Unless I misunderstand the story, the second disc is what caused the confrontation. Would there have been a way to impress on this kid the virtue of returning a disc to its rightful owner without using threats or force? I doubt it.

So the only viable alternative, other than what W. did, was to let the kid keep the disc he found, even if he knew the kid wasn't going to return it to its owner.

What you think of W.'s decision depends on whether you think it's worth using force, or at least intimidation, to force a stranger to return a friend's property to her.