WTF?

[conuly]

Thanks, rainbow_goddess.

Two Durango teens thought they'd surprise neighbors with nighttime deliveries of home-baked treats. But one woman was so terrified, she sued and has won

She was scared of... what, exactly? Cookies?

The July 31 deliveries consisted of half a dozen chocolate-chip and sugar cookies accompanied by big hearts cut out of red or pink construction paper with the message: "Have a great night."

The notes were signed, "Love, The T and L Club," code for Taylor Ostergaard, then 17, and Lindsey Jo Zellitti, 18.

They've got a picture, very cute box. Sounds yummy, the cookies.

Inside one of the nine scattered rural homes south of Durango that got cookies that night, a 49-year-old woman became so terrified by the knocks on her door around 10:30 p.m. that she called the sheriff's department. Deputies determined that no crime had been committed.

Remind me to never move someplace rural, where you have to be scared of people knocking at the door....

A Durango judge Thursday awarded Young almost $900 to recoup her medical bills. She received nothing for pain and suffering.

Remember this part, it comes up again later.

"The victory wasn't sweet," Young said Thursday afternoon. "I'm not gloating about it. I just hope the girls learned a lesson."

What lesson? Don't bake cookies for neighbors?

The judge said that he didn't think the girls acted maliciously but that it was pretty late at night for them to be out. He didn't award any punitive damages.

10:30. That's not "pretty late". I've come home later than that, even at that age.

Taylor and Lindsey declined to comment Thursday, saying only that they didn't want to say anything hurtful.

Yeah, that'd be my reaction at this point.

Court records contain half a dozen letters from neighbors who said that they enjoyed the unexpected treats.

The cookies were good. It was a nice surprise. They weren't scared.

They had no need to be scared. It's cookies.

[Young] thought perhaps they were burglars or some neighbors she had tangled with in the past, she said.

Hm. I wonder why she'd think that neighbors would want to harass her. If this is how she normally acts, I'm not surprised.

The girls wrote letters of apology to Young. Taylor's letter, written a few days after the episode, said in part: "I didn't realize this would cause trouble for you. ... I just wanted you to know that someone cared about you and your family."

The families had offered to pay Young's medical bills if she would agree to indemnify the families against future claims.

Okay. Remember the $900 the woman won, no pain and suffering? She could've gotten it without the trouble of the suit. They offered to pay her medical bills, they apologized.

Young wouldn't sign the agreement. She said the families' apologies rang false and weren't delivered in person. The matter went to court.

...

Honestly, I don't know what to say.

Young said she believes that the girls should not have been running from door to door late at night.

"Something bad could have happened to them," she said.

Oh, yes, it's all about them, you're concerned about their safety. I thought rural areas were supposed to be, like, these safe places, where you weren't just randomly accosted in the street after 10 PM...?

Comments

[celticess.livejournal.com]

I saw this on the UF board(re the link to that article). I have anxiety disorder. My roommates sister has severe panic disorder so I've seen the similarities and differences between the two things. But some people have both in combination and I suspect that lady that sued had them in combo. I also guess she has problems facing that she has those issues so that was another factor in her taking it out on the girls. I think the judge should of realized the womans reaction was a bit extream and probably more to it than simply two girls bringing cookies.(ie would regular people have such a reaction)

With my anxiety disorder I will get freaked out but if people are around me I calm down. That lady had people there but her reaction is more like anxiety panic. I don't call the cops if something freaks me out. I'd only call them if I thought something illegal or dangerous was going on. I also don't head to an ER every time I have my anxiety attacks. But my roommates sister with her panic disorder has.

With farm houses they tend to be a distance appart. I'm guessing the girls have morning chores, school, homework, evening chores and then free time. Considering that and the distance the time they got around ot that neighbour was understandable. That late on a farm though means family or neighbour in trouble usually not much else. *shrug* Also the girls only went to lit houses not dark. I think this lady just wanted a scape goat. I understand the girls not apologizing in person if this woman freaks out about cookies how will she react in person?

[leora.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the article mentioned something about them asking if they could bake cookies after they saw to the animals.

I also have anxiety issues; I'm not exactly sure of what flavor. But I can understand freaking out over people knocking on my door or even just calling me. But I also recognize that this isn't normal, and I try not to take it out on the people. I'd love to be able to sue every telemarketer who calls me or every salesman who goes door to door, because they cause me lots of stress and sometimes pain. But I recognize that this isn't reasonable. And you cannot fully predict other people's problems. You can try to prevent taking actions that will cause likely problems, but I don't get to smack every thoughtless woman wearing too much perfume who makes me choke and sneeze.

*sigh*

She could put up a sign that tells people to stay away. That can often help.

[conuly]

She could put up a sign that tells people to stay away. That can often help.

I don't think she will. That would mean admitting that she has a problem (she doesn't like people knocking at her door) instead of what she wants to believe (people shouldn't come knocking at her door).

[leora.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I know.... silly me... expecting people to acknowledge and accept their insanity and handle it sanely.

The funny thing is - some people can actually do that. Or at least take responsibility for their actions.

[celticess.livejournal.com]

Yes the sign I have on my front door has really cut down on unwanted people baning on my door. I'm in the process of moving right now and I made a point of getting an unlisted number so phone sales can't bug me. I dislike using phones but with phone sales it's a bit different. Just like door to door. They can confuse me and then I don't realize whats going on. Next thing I know I'm signed up for something. This happened with AT&T. I thought that I just signed a form for them to give me price comparision on my long distance current rates vs what they could give me. BCTel at the time later said "Oh do you realize your on AT&T now for long distance?" Umm nope I didn't and they changed me back. Apprently the same sorts of sales tactics that confused me happened to at least one seniors complex and most of them switched back to BCTel too at the time. Similarly I've been sold books that way too. So knowing I'm niave, gullible, have problems saying no and problems with confrontation I have a sign on the door. That eliminates alot of hassle. Not sure if I can have the sign on the door of the place I'm moving too but I guess I'll find out after I post it at the first tenants meeting.

Btw with the overly perfume people. Alot of them I think are chain smokers who can't smell how strong they smell. My mom has this problem. And so do a few other family members who I note are heavy smokers. My mom however has learned that unless she's going out if she's around me to please not wear perfume or only a little bit. I've blacked out from the smell of tar and even good smells can make me very ill if strong enough.(such as fresh bread) :(

This woman that sued could of put a sign on her door. She could of sought help for her problems too. But I doubt she'll do either and I bet now alot of people in that town dislike her and keep away from her. The answer on things isn't always to sue. Particularly if people said sorry and offered to already help pay for medical stuff.

[leora.livejournal.com]

*nods* I guess we can only hope a family member or close friend eventually gets through to her to try to use some other tactics to help make things better.

I don't have a problem with strong smells, but i'm either allergic or somehow sensitive to some perfumes. Never tracked down what ingredient. But some of them just irritate my throat, make me sneeze, and every so often I just can't breathe.

I don't really care if the people smell insanely strong, but if I can't breathe or even if it just means I'm constantly coughing, that's a real problem for me. However, usually I can just move away from the person. And I know that they don't intend to cause the problems for me, no more than I would intend to cause harm if I opened up a jar of peanut butter in a park during a picnic. But I know people who would have serious problems if they were nearby and someone opened up a jar of peanut butter.

You just have to try to work out a way to try to respect everyone's needs and rights as smoothly as possible.Which may sometimes means the person with the fearsome dog allergy leaves the restaurant so the blind person with the guide dog can have a meal.

I'm wandering... but basically, yeah, it sucks to have real problems. And I take them seriously. They're real and they should be respected. But it doesn't mean you should always get your way. And sometimes it sucks and you have to give up on stuff you want because of health problems. It's not fair, and it's not nice. But it's life. Having problems isn't fun. But it doesn't mean you should blame the people who set them off. Blame the problems themselves.

[conuly]

I can understand freaking out so badly (though, judging from other comments I suspect that this may be partially through her own actions), and I can even understand being in denial and refusing to admit that it is your problem that caused you to get upset, not their fault. But to sue after they offered to help out? Low, low, low.

[celticess.livejournal.com]

Well the part about the lady saying victory wasn't totally sweet because she didn't get the other damages she wanted. Then she went on to say she hoped the girls learned a good lesson. What lesson? They were trying to be kind and make people smile with a random act of kindness. They did apologize when they realized they scared her and the family offered to help. I think what she's taught them is there are some biter people in the world willing to take things out on kids... even good kids. And that sometimes trying to do something nice only causes trouble. It may deter them from doing something nice for someone in the future.