The next day, the boys came to play again. They arrived the same way, and left in the same manner. No problem. Not my woods, and they're not doing any harm.
But I could guess what was eventually going to happen, and you can too.
The air soft gun battle soon spilled over onto our lot. Not very far into our lot, just a few yards, and it wasn't a big deal. The back end of our lot is woodsy: a few scattered trees, no grass, and a six foot high brush pile with a ramp to the top made from wood chips that I delivered by wheelbarrow over several months last year.
It didn't take long for those boys to discover the joys and triumphs of playing king of the brush pile. Once they discovered it, it immediately became the center of every game.
And you can probably guess what happened next.
No, they didn't light it on fire, although I wouldn't mind much if they had.
They got real comfortable in our yard. And bored with the long way home so they started using the driveway and walking past the garage and screen porch to get to the battleground.
Next thing, boys and guns are flowing down toward the house, where the boys discover the creek and our bridge over the creek, and the other bridge over the creek that goes right to the deck and along the house. And they couldn't have been more carefree if they'd been romping around Disneyland.
At this point I felt it was time to have a chat. I told them that it would have been nice if they'd knocked on the door and asked if they could play in the woods and cut up our driveway and through the yard (not to mention walking everywhere else). One guy was apologetic and courteous, but the others didn't have much to say. The courteous kid showed me how his gun worked, and when I asked, he let me take a couple shots. I told them to be careful, to use the driveway, and to stay WAY OUT BACK.
They didn't. Every day they'd end up hanging out near the house, playing in the creek, climbing up this leaning tree, and loitering on the far bridge.
What's more, the other day, two of them terrorized a squirrel along the driveway with their little plastic pellets. The squirrel was at the base of a small tree and the boys fired at it until it climbed as high as it could go, which was only about 30 feet. So, it leapt to the ground to escape. Thirty feet! I was a hundred feet away in the house and could hear the squirrel thump on the ground as it landed. It seemed to be okay and got away, and I realize it's just a squirrel, and that these are boys, but come on. Terrorize wildlife at your own house.
Well today I'd had enough. They were getting loud and obnoxious, playing in the creek and all over the bridge. I wanted them to have fun, but I also wanted them to be considerate of our privacy, and our property.
So what pushed my red button today was when one kid took a 2-inch tree next to the bridge, a tree I specifically left in that place for aesthetics (not that he would have know this), bent it over, and positioned himself to stand on it. His intention clearly was to break it off. I worked many many months clearing the lot and deciding--very methodically--which trees to keep and which to cut.
So I threw open a window and yelled, "GET OFF THAT TREE, BOY!" And then, "WHY DON'T YOU GUYS CLEAR OUT OF HERE FOR A WHILE. YOU'RE GETTING A LITTLE TOO COMFORTABLE AROUND HERE!"
I felt kind of bad afterwards, but I was red hot. That destructive brat had no regard for our property, even if it was a just little tree in the "woods."
And what's more, these boys were over here three different times Saturday--several hours the third time and right up until dark. And then again Sunday morning, and Sunday afternoon until after dinner time. It was getting out of hand. I didn't think they would come around so often when I gave them the OK to use the back of the yard.
I have a feeling they won't be back for a while.
7 comments:
Good job sweetie, I wish I could have witnessed it. I hope they don't come back at all.
Maybe you could tie up some of those tree markers at the back of your property and tell them they cant come past the boundary?
Good suggestion Charles. But how about if I tie up some of those little rascals instead, and torture them with a leaf blower?
Leaf blower Jeff??? Don't you still have the chipper??
Seriously though when I was a kid I wouldn't think of even coming close to overstepping the boundaries if someone said I could play at the back of their property. Kids these days need some old fashioned beatings... no respect, no respect....
You're right Charles, a little discipline would go a long way. As you indicated, when were kids we'd always comply with an adult's wishes. For the most part anyway.
I think what bothers me the most about all this is the earlier event when they first crossed the bridges and ventured right up to the house when they had plenty of other routes they could have used to leave the woods. I though this was very brazen. I understand the woods are fun and bridges are fun and a little creek is fun, but for heaven's sake kids, YOU'RE TRESPASSING!
I've been doing a little spring stick pick up in the yard and noticed that the boys left litter back near the brush pile. Bottles and wrappers and things. They also broke more than one limb off trees. They also two air soft guns, pellets, and goggles stashed in the brush pile. I'm not sure what they're thinking leaving the guns behind, but I have to move them because I'm adding to the brush pile and may end up burying them.
Maybe I'll run them through the wood chipper and mail the boys the shards.
Thanks for the idea Charles!
reminds me of a time we played air soft in new york on the hill across the street from our house. on that hill with all the trees on it. similar situation. Anthony came out and was pretty upset till he found out who we were and that we lived right there across the street. but we stayed well away from the house over there and didn't damage or take or leave anything on his property, except that extra clip Bradley lost. and when we played it was only for like 30 min to and hour and only one or 2 times. i can understand breaking off a few branches most people wouldn't even notice and even less would care but knowing you and Audry and the work you put into that back yard i can understand you being upset. but what really throws me for a loop is that they were there for such a long time. talk about over staying your welcome.
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