You can’t really choose your neighbors.
Unless you live in a secluded area of the world. But even that might not be a solution. Just like folks gravitating towards the empty space next to your car, parked in an inconveniently random spot of an empty parking lot, someone might just move in and ruin your fun.
But I’m getting sidetracked.
So, you can’t really choose your neighbors. The dice might be in your favor, and a lovely old couple will move into the apartment next door. Or it might be the opposite—a grumpy dude who values peace and quiet above all else might move in, and every tiny fart coming from your apartment or its vicinity will become an issue.
Well, in this case, not a tiny fart, but a trivial inconvenience nonetheless, given the context.
More Info: Reddit
You can't choose your neighbors. But you can choose to retaliate if they're being unreasonably annoying
Image credits: Francesco Crippa (not the actual image)
A redditor by the nickname of u/FandomReferenceHere recently posted their revenge experience of petty proportions.
You see, OP lives in an apartment building—has for a bit over a year now—and has this neighbor who is sensitive to one thing (well, probably more, but let’s stick to the story). And that is the door slamming.
Specifically, it’s their front door. And every time it gets slammed shut, the neighbor pops his head out and blurts out a more or less consistent version of “Please stop. It’s incredibly disturbing. It makes the whole wall shake.”
This one Redditor shared their petty, yet cathartic revenge adventure when the neighbor just couldn't stop criticizing them for a slammed door
Image credits: u/FandomReferenceHere
OP admits that they did not know it was an issue to begin with. But after the first request, they apologized, told the neighbor they would try their best not to slam the door, and even stressed about it to a concerning degree. They cared.
However, turns out, the disgruntled neighbor did not care. When OP would make the very human mistake of slamming the door again—whether it was because their hands were busy or because there was a draft due to the open balcony door, they would see him again. Whatever the case, it happened two more times after the first.
At first, it took them by surprise, they were apologetic, and did their very best to not let the door slam again
Image credits: u/FandomReferenceHere
Image credits: Nenad Stojkovic (not the actual image)
Now, OP did a great job in the post stressing just how much they have tried to be careful with the door so it wouldn’t come smashing shut; they went out of their way to ensure it doesn’t happen. But it wasn’t good enough for the neighbor.
The other times, seemingly like a zombie, he would pop out to confront the neighbor about the slammed door, throwing out the same “walls shaking and it’s disturbing” phrase each time. Seemingly as if OP’s sincere efforts and care meant absolutely nothing to him. As if their efforts never happened.
Well, it still happened, albeit less frequently, but it did, and the neighbor started getting on the author of the post's nerves
Image credits: u/FandomReferenceHere
Until OP snapped one day. If their best is not good enough, then so be it. They stopped caring if the door slams shut. In fact, they started avoiding any efforts to make sure it doesn’t slam shut and even went the opposite direction of allowing the door to swing shut on its own. With a huge bang.
But it wasn't the issue of being bashed for it, but an issue of not recognizing the efforts and then being bashed for it
Image credits: u/FandomReferenceHere
Image credits: Eric Chan (not the actual image)
Sure enough, the neighbor started elevating their complaints to reach building management, but they were already aware of the situation as OP made sure they’d be. And will continue to use the door “liberally” until the neighbor apologizes for being a grumpy ol’ jerk. Or until OP moves out in February. Whatever the case, let the noise begin.
Now OP takes every opportunity to use the door: deliberately forgetting something in the car, needing to walk the dog, all that jazz. And folks online are all for it.
Well, no more Mr. Nice Guy, the doors were left to slam on their own, and folks couldn't agree with such a solution more
Many shared their own similar experiences of door slamming and neighbor dissatisfaction, which is surprisingly a common problem—actually commonly caused by build quality, and that’s honestly nobody but the building admin’s problem.
Others showed support by justifying OP’s efforts, and that they actually tried their best, so all that’s left for the neighbor to do is to turn to the building’s management, and until it’s fixed, suck it up.
And people were also supportive with the upvote button, giving a modest, but still significant 3,200 upvotes with a handful of Reddit awards. You can check it all in context here, but now is not the time to leave—not without sharing your thoughts, stories and whatever else you might think of sharing (that’s on topic, c’mon) in the comment section below!