There was a smackdown at the park yesterday involving two parties. One of those parties was me. Thankfully, with the help of Gandhi, it didn’t come to blows.
It all started when my archenemy pulled into the park in front of my house. He drives a big white pick-up, and in this pick-up, and enormous pit bull. I won’t even get started on the 3 dogs of the apocalypse : pit bulls, rottweilers and dobermans, which plague these islands (often leash free!) because once I open that can of worms there’s just no stopping me. Anyway- so this guy has come to the park on multiple occasions, driven on to the park leaving huge muddy tracks, which is totally not allowed, let him pit bull run loose, also not allowed, and left the poop lying there for us all to step in. Rampant rule breaking and disregard for others. He knows this is wrong but does it anyway. He drives on to the park rather than parking in the lot, driving over the hill, thus hiding behind it, so that his dog running free and pooping can’t be seen from the road. But I see him. Oh yes, I see him.
I have been waging a quiet campaign to make him stop. Step one was to turn all my lights on when he showed up with the dog at night to let him know that I was well unaware of his unscrupulous activities. This worked- he stopped coming for a while. Then he showed up about a week ago in the early morning. I took his license plate number and waited on my porch for him to drive out again, so he would know that I was on to him and disapproving. He waved. I scowled.
Yesterday was the piece de resistance- Ghandi style. He pulled up, all ready to drive on to the park, when he noticed I was already in the park, playing with my little girls.
So he waited. And waited. And waited. Running his engine. He sat in that parking lot with the engine running on that beast of a truck for at least 40 minutes, waiting for me to leave. He picked the wrong girl, yo. I grew up with 3 older brothers, I hold my damn ground. I do not suffer a-holes. We were using the park properly. As it was intended. We would not yield. We would have stayed there all damn day if that’s what it took.
The girls had a marvelous time with this extended park play, though admittedly, it was less fun for me. By the time he pulled up I was already about to head in because I was exhausted from chasing the girls and it was hot out. The girls- not a bit. They don’t feel things like heat and fatigue. They just feel fun. Several times I wanted to give up and go in, or try to reason with him, which would have been pointless. He knows what he’s doing is wrong- that’s why he’s trying to hide it. And I don’t want to come without 10 yards of his ferocious pit bull. I think my peaceful protest was a better way. Thanks Gandhi 
I hate it when people blatantly disregard the rules. We have a lot of that in my neighborhood with the pool and park area. The only reason I don’t do more than scowl is because I refuse to be drawn into an argument in front of my girls. Good for you for keeping your cool.
Play protest. I love it! Gandhiji would have been proud.
Way to stand your ground!!! I cannot stand when people disregard the rules, esp those people who let their dogs poop all over the grass at the playground and then they don’t pick it up!
I have an issue with people parking on my lawn when they use a nearby playing field. I’ve chased people down, left nastygrams on their cars, etc. I’m about to call the town to see what I can do about the cars – can I have them towed? That will teach people fast!! I think you should find the dog poop, put it in a baggie and leave it in his truck bed and tell him he left it behind. Tough to be that aggressive when your husband travel so much, I know. Make sure when you do it you have your neighbor’s support and backup.