No good deed goes unpunished
 

On Friday there was a knock on my door, I opened the door and say an hispanic couple standing there. They barely spoke english, but after a while and alot of struggle I figured out that their POS car parked in front of my house was overheating and they wanted to know if they could use my hose.
I said sure and showed them where the hose was.
I had to go pick up my kids so I left.
This morning I saw this:
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199649359.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199649374.jpg
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199649387.jpg

It's kind of hard to see in the pictures but several of the main braches are snapped off or broken almost completely.
I keep the hose curled up behind this shrub to discourage kids from messing with it. Evidently these people from down south pulled the hose through the shrub and broke several branches. They would have had to yank pretty darned hard to break those branches.
I guess being careful with other people's property wasn't something they cared about. It is not hard to pull the hose out from the side where the hose bib is, I do it all the time without hurting the shrub at all. This shrub is very old and even if it survives it will take years to get it back in shape. Prior to this abuse it was shaped very nicely to conform to the curbing along the grass. it takes a long time to do that.
Not to mention the rust stains they left in the gutter and along the curb in front of my house, evidently they don't believe in anti-freeze. I live in a nice neighborhood and people take care of their property, here. This kind of thing might be just fine in thier community but not this one.
If it ever happens again I'll call immigration on their a$$.

The street that I live on was always private, but it didn't start of as a gated community. I live on a street next to the off ramp of a freeway. Its the first exit after a very long hill. The neighborhood got really, really tired of people overheating and pulling over and just showing up at their doors to use a phone, water hose, bathroom, you name it. In the summer, they'd get 5-6 a day. We still have a car pulled over next to our gate at least daily.

Welcome to the real world, Sammy. Better to scare their a$$ off your property before opening the door and offering help. It really is a shame.

I bet they were Catholic, too.

Welcome to the way things are done in the new 3rd world nation of Mexifornia. Pretty soon the government of Mexifornia is going to start telling its citizens that your going to have to share your property with those who are less fortunate than yourselves....after all be proud you live in the Golden State.

Although that has absolutely nothing to do with this thread, I doubt it. They were probably in their late 20s or early thirties and only had two children in the back seat. Whats your point?

I guess I should have given them one of my vehicles, maybe the keys to my house, or my ATM card?
I'd prefer to force them to stop braking the law by kicking them the heck out of this country.

That was a gratuitous jab at Richard actually.

Careful making assumptions - either about what I think about this, or their green card status (yeah I know, if they don't speak a word of English, then yes, they're probably not legal...lol).

BTW if it were me, I'd have stayed and helped them out, just to prevent such an occurrence. If I were unable to stay as you seemed to be, I'd have politely directed them toward my least-favorite neighbor.

You're still hanging onto your misinterpretation of my post?

C'mon Tabby, it ain't that bad yet, but I see you're headed in the right direction... Sammy, welcome to the New World Order......Basically it is the same as the kids running through the grocery store and bumping into you and not saying their sorry or even recognizing that they intruded on someone else's space. It is just some people's ignorance when dealing with other human beings and it seems to be equally tot amongst other people as goodness and respect are tot amongst others. It seems like a 50/50 split in this country and it will be interesting in seeing how it plays out. Will the good natured, respectful people win over the hoard or will the beasts of the wild prevail........

Lowest common denominator prevails...it is the base line for which everything else is built on.

A gratuitous, light-hearted jab at Richard...

Unfortunately, Mr. Juan-Jesus Herrera Gonzales badly twisted his ankle in your bush and you be sued shortly, losing your house, because you created an unsafe condition to which Mr. Herrera Gonzales was entitled to......

Sammy,
I have absolutely NO DISAGREEMENT that your proprty was damamged and that would p!ss me off, no question. What I also get from your post is: It seems as though you are saying they damaged it BECAUSE they are hispanic? I kinda doubt you meant that, but that IS how it comes off sounding...at least to me. Not a question in the world they were thoughtless to have broken your plants, etc. but rudeness is a human trait, not a hispanic trait.

Also, you don't their immigration status. Yes, I'll agree with you that because they don't speak English, or speak it well it leads you to believe they are recent immigrants. They may well be; but they might be legal. A stretch? Yeah, probably but hell, my girlfriend's mother is 86 years old, has been a citizen for 50 years and STILL doesn't speak English. She understands it but is very uncomfortable and won't really try.

My point is I suspect you are not biggoted but your post comes off sounding that way...at least to a hispanic person. Why did it have to be about their ethnicity and not just a beef about rude people taking for granted your assistance and generosity. Karma man, they'll get theirs.

That's a pisser. Can you try and wire it together like the bonsai tree in Karate Kid (does that even work?)?

For the rust stains, get that CLR stuff they advertise on TV. I don't know what's in it (probably some hellaceous poisons) but it works like a charm. If the rust stains are recent, I'll bet it'll wash right off.

Never Mind. I don't care. Stupid Post.
You are the Man...what a guy. Ohhh...this will be fun to post on Pelican!!!
:rolleyes:

It rerally doesn't matter how my post came across, every single time the subject of illegal immigration is mentioned the same two or three show up and somehow figure out a way to take the counter-point. What took you guys so long? ;) if nothing else you are predictable.

Was their lack of respect for my property ethnic? Probably not. Was it cultural? Maybe, if they are used to living in an environment where shubbery or a nicely manicured yard is of no consequence. Could it be that they did it on purpose out of spite or resentment? Probably not, they could have done much worse if they wanted to.
Was it simply due to a lack of personal character? Well after all they are criminals ........

BTW, those of you who want to say they weren't illegal. come on now.
I'm not stupid and this is southern california. These people spoke less english than i speak spanish. They did not fit in, they were not comfortable, there were plenty of signs, It was obvious.
The way they acted, the way they dressed, they car they drove, the overwelming odds are they weren't more than 6 months on this side of the border and they weren't tourists or carrying work visas.

Dan, I'm not going to touch your post with a 10 foot pole. There are no winners in your argument.

:D

Once while driving back to San Diego from Ensenada at about 2AM, we ran out of gas about 20 mile south of Tijuana. My idiot friend said we'd have enough gas.

Anyway, there was a house on the beach at the bottom of a steep hillside of scrub. The people there were up partying, so we went down to ask for help. They cut off the end of their garden hose, ruining it, so they could siphon gas from their old truck. They couldn't have been nicer to us four stupid gringos.

Wow, There may be some truth to that. My wife is 1/2 hispanic and we get in arguments some times ............ but i get along great with her father, Alberto.
Nope, that just doesn't add up.

I am biggotted against illegal immigrants, no doubt about that. But it has to do with the fact that they are in this country illegally stealing from the citizens. Don't try to read any more into it than that. Wrongfully pulling the race card on me won't stop me from speaking my mind.

Actually, it DOES matter how your post "came off" unless of course you're only here to insult people? Or you don't mind being taken as being as rude (in a different way of course) as these same people you are so p!ssed off about?

Actually, the subject of illegal immigration didn't "come up"...YOU brought it up by assuming; perhaps correctly, that these people MUST be illegal because they were thoughtless and damaged your property. You added one plus one and came up with five? If you re-read my response to your post I admitted they probably ARE illegal, but my point is you don't know, you just make the assumption. To you that is a "natural" assumption and anyone who doesn't see it your way is an apologist for illegal immigration - which I have NEVER said. But in fact I gave you a good example of how it may not be true...but you ignored that and indicted the few who don't agree with your assumption.

Actually, I'd say your connection of thoughtless behavior, ill-at-ease-manner & poverty with their immigration status qualifies for your, "if nothing else you are predictable" comment too.

So, you're saying what? They're hispanic, they're ill at eased in your neighborhood because they don't speak your language so...they MUST live in an environment where there is no "nice shrubbery or a nicely manicured yard"? Or is that only if they are illegal they don't live in a place that has a manicured yard?


Hmmm...interesting. Do you ever speed in that Porsche? Have you ever "fudged" on your income taxes? Aw c'mon, you're white, you're somewhat affluent if you own a 911 hence you must cheat on your taxes...(same ridiculous logic) so you must have "a lack of personal character" because you are a "criminal" too? Doesn't feel so great on the receiving end? I wonder if you are even capable of seeing it in the reverse?

Just curious, do you assume anyone you see that is brown, is wearing clothing you don't think is very nice, drives an old car and doesn't speak English well or is ill at ease around you must be illegal? I ask because my father worked construction his entire life and wore the kind of clothes construction workers wear. He was deeply tanned from all the time in the sun and drove a pickup truck and hey, "you're not stupid and this is Southern California" so...he MUST have been illegal? He spoke fluent Spanish AND English, but he certainly looked the part of an illegal.

These people spoke less english than i speak spanish. They did not fit in, they were not comfortable, there were plenty of signs, It was obvious.
The way they acted, the way they dressed, they car they drove...[/QUOTE]


I agree on what the odds are, I really do. Its the automatic assumption that bothers me. The superioity in your post that bugs me. For the record, I am against illegal immigration, I just have a little human empathy.

I know what you mean and I'm not pro-Catholic...but that is a very ignorant statement that you made.

I'm a practicing Catholic and therefore quite pro-Catholic.

So - for the last time (in case y'all missed my first two follow-ups to this comment) - it was a JOKING dig at Richard regarding a comment he made on another post!!! I am simply too lazy to change my posts to green.

My mistake on it then. I really didn't see any mention of a previous post or any indication that you were jabbing at someone. I often do that so disregard. My bad!

No worries.

Now, y'all stop calling Sammy a racist or he's going to start giving us bum stock tips...

"Buy Pemex"

(ducking for cover now)

Not sure about the stock tips but I'm pretty sure that OPEC/big oil and the NFL wild cards are not Sammy's strong suits.:)

I really don't remember when I stepped on your toes WI, but grow up and get over it. You're acting like a stupid little kid.

You follow me around on this board just looking for a chance to get a jab in, it's obvious to everyone and all you're really accomplishing is making yourself look like an a$$.
I wonder if we can trade you for fastpat? Naw, probably not. Guess who just made the ignore list?

You need to get your chip off your shoulder. You are Hispanic and take it personally any time the subject of Hispanics, illegal immigration, or anything else to do with Mexico and you twist it around just waiting to pull the race card. You remind me of Jessie and Al when you do that.

Your quote above is a good case in point. Way to twist the words around Jessie. I never said that, you said it. that makes you a racist. Stop being like that.
Here ya go.


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1199682517.jpg

Stupidest reply ever. You go Sammy.

Sorry if I insulted your hero, but I got that little jpg from this site.

BTW nice homepage.

You guys in mexifornia must get all the ****ty illegals. Over here the people from mexico, while i don't agree with how they got here, are extremely nice people. The US born mexicans on the other hand can be some real back stabbing pricks sometimes.

Hey, at least it means they're assimilating then!

This is a public board. In a couple of areas you made some rather outlandish statements. Then when they are challenged or outright refuted, you get all upset about being "stalked" as your standard response.

You proclaimed yourself to be an insider in the oil business (per your stock picks, which BTW I hope are correct) and then you went totally off the chart with your inane comments about how OPEC was the only cause of the 1970's gasoline shortage and that the poor lil major oil compaines were abused "victims" who lost money. That is total bull***** and I pointed it out. That's not following you around on the board...that's correcting what is either your ignorance or your mendacity.

As for what you said about San Diego being a wild card...who really gives a ***** that you got it wrong? I was just having some fun about it since you often play the santimonious, all-knowing, and ever correct guy who is eager (such as when your $12 hose and your $200 bushes got damaged) to go after others with wild assumptions based on not a shread of evidence or truth as to the personal situation of the evil doers.

Look at this post of yours. Sammy, will you please get over this nutty persecution complex you seem to have. What is with the childish bull***** about you maybe "stepping on (my) toes" and such? Over the years I have dealt with hearing a doctor say that my 7 year son was going to die (he didn't) of a kidney disease and that a grandson was bi-polar and suicidal. (also happily resolved) So you "stepping on" my toes is so damn far down my list of things that I might EVER worry about that you would have to shoot light to it with a cannon. You act like getting your damn garden hose ruined and bushes torn up is some sort of major calamity. Grow the fuk up.

Bottom line: first lighten up and then expect to hear about it when you are wrong...and desist with crying about it like some kid on the playground who thinks he's being picked on. This is not real life...it's a goofy-ass internet board...enjoy it!!

All this over a shrub?:rolleyes:

George

Yeah, the stock market is down...must really affect some folks.:)

Good night.

In Arizona we know not to let mexicans borrow or use anything of our property!

Bring me...a shruberry!

Look, plants are a matter of life or death. And rust stains in the gutter? That must violate the homeowners associations rules, and what about steam cleaning the streets every third tuesday of the month?

Clearly he should have shot him. This is important stuff!

Sammy,

All I can say is that you did the right thing by offering them to use your water. I hope that this one-time incident will not destroy your good-will characteristic.

If only this happened in Tejas... :D

In summary:

Sammy, you did good.

They did wrong.

You end up with a broken bush and mixed emotions but a good heart. In the long run, that is what counts.