No good deed goes unpunished

sammyg2 · 01-06-2008, 11:06 AM

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:

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$$.

Hugh R · 01-06-2008, 11:16 AM

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.

motion · 01-06-2008, 11:17 AM

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.

dtw · 01-06-2008, 11:18 AM

I bet they were Catholic, too.

tabs · 01-06-2008, 11:19 AM

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.

sammyg2 · 01-06-2008, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtw

I bet they were Catholic, too.

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.

dtw · 01-06-2008, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyg2

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?

That was a gratuitous jab at Richard actually.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sammyg2

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.

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.

motion · 01-06-2008, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtw

That was a gratuitous jab at Richard actually.

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

futuresoptions · 01-06-2008, 12:32 PM

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........

tabs · 01-06-2008, 01:53 PM

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

dtw · 01-06-2008, 03:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by motion

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

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

Vipergrün · 01-06-2008, 04:36 PM

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......

Dan in Pasadena · Dan in Pasadena's Garage

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.

VaSteve · 01-06-2008, 05:27 PM

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.

K. Roman · K. Roman's Garage

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

sammyg2 · 05:37 PM

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.

motion · 01-06-2008, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

My point is I suspect you are not biggoted but your post comes off sounding that way...at least to a hispanic person.

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

motion · 01-06-2008, 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dtw

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

ckissick · 01-06-2008, 06:19 PM

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.

sammyg2 · 06:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dan in Pasadena

I suspect you are not biggoted but your post comes off sounding that way...at least to a hispanic person.

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.