A Queston Of Ethics

[Komodo]

My son is a very serious bowler.
He owns some very expensive bowling balls. (I know because I bought them all! :bwah:)
He keeps them all in the trunk of his car............. USUALLY!

Couple of weeks ago, he got a flat in front of the house. He had to take everything out of the trunk (including all the balls & bags) to get the spare. He asked if he could put the bowling stuff in the garage until he go the flat tire repaired, and the spare back in the trunk.
I said sure.
He got the tire fixed, and the bowling stuff STILL remains in the garage.

Yesterday, I'm cleaning up the garage.
I SEE one ball on the floor, with no bag, just sitting there by itself.
I leave it alone, don't go anywhere NEAR it.

Go about my cleaning, find a good spot for ALL his bowling crap, put it all there, then go to get the one lone ball.
IT'S GONE!!!!

I look all around, and it's nowhere to be found. All I can think of is that someone came by when I went into the house to go to the bathroom and stole it. SHIT!!!!!

I finish cleaning the garage, just about to close the door, when I spot the ball. It's across the street under a van!!!!!
Somehow, it rolled out of the garage, down the cement driveway and all the way across the street.
I get it and put it away.

This morning, I tell my son what happened and thought he'd have a good laugh. WRONG!
He ran out to check out the ball, and had a mini-stroke! :devilzeek
The ball is all scratched up and pitted from it's "little adventure" yesterday. He is REALLY upset over this. I ask him if he can just buff out the scratches, and he tells me no, it has to be completly resurfaced, and it's going to cost around $50.

HE SAYS THAT LOOKING AT ME, EXPECTING ME TO OFFER TO PAY FOR IT! :devilzeek :devilzeek :devilzeek

Here's where my question of ethics comes into play.
Normally, if I break something, I'm the first one to offer to pay for it.
NOT this time!
I think this is all HIS fault!

The ball was supposed to have been removed from the garage WEEKS ago. Also, the ball should have been in it's BAG, not left on the floor by itself.
If HE had taken care of HIS stuff, this never would have happened.

SO.......
Should I pay up?
~OR~
Serves you right for not cleaning up after yourself!

[EOD13]

I was always taught to take care of my things and they'll take care of me. Personally I think he should pay for it himself an learn the lesson so he doesn't do it again. If you let it slide, he won't learn a thing. Just my $0.02 :thumbsup:

[Glenn]

His ball, his responcibility,, But I think it would be like "PULLING TEETH" to get him to pay up. :manganr:

[slimkango]

I think you've payed enough! $50.00 is a small price for him to pay for all those free bowling balls he has aquired.

[GEEZER]

Could go either way.
You know, that to keep peace in the family, you're gonna' pay.
That said, he probably feels, since the ball was in your charge it's your responsibility.
Anyhow $hit happens........

[waterdogs]

Ask him if he`s familiar with the phrase "Go fuck yourself"....:bwah:

[Clydetz]

This is a relatively simple problem to fix. Just charge him $100 for storing his 'stuff' and then give him $50 to resurface the wayward bowling ball. :jdwink2:

[ratstuph]

Over 3 decades ago, I left some 3' x 1' x 1.5' custom-made speakers with my father, when I was moving somewhere. He kept them in an indoor closet to protect them from temperature variations. Move ahead a few years and they are still in his closet taking up space. I tell him that I don't think I will likely ever use them again, and that he should get rid of them; I can help if he wants. He says, "no," I might change my mind. Those fuckers sat there for a couple of decades with me telling him the same thing every time I would visit.
So, it was really nice of him to do that; always kind of comforting that he wanted to. We had some tough times relationship-wise, when I was 8-15 y.o., so maybe this was his way of trying to make it up.
Long damn story to get to the point, family relationships are complex, and rarely straightforward. The bowling-ball deal is your son's responsibility. So, do you want to be right, or do you want a relationship with your son? Give him the ball buff (sounds wrong) for x-mas.

[EOD13]

Long damn story to get to the point, family relationships are complex, and rarely straightforward. The bowling-ball deal is your son's responsibility. So, do you want to be right, or do you want a relationship with your son? Give him the ball buff (sounds wrong) for x-mas.

That's a good solution there :thumbsup: keeps family bonds strong AND makes you both happy and teaches a lesson.

[firebolt]

your son reminds me off some one..

he tels al who want to know he is very carefull with his stuff.

i did reminded him when he used a pipe wrench on his 50$ titanium axle nut, because he was to laisy to get up and get the right size socket


so fuck'm, there his "priced items" left for dirt, he should have taken care off theme so they would never been able to be dammaged

but, a house full off fighting over a ball , is not wurth 50 bucks

[Bobert]

I think it's ALL his fault for not have it in a bag and for just leaving it there, but I do think you unknowingly did something to cause it to roll out of the garage. That said, I wouldn't give him the $50 to have it resurfaced. Instead, I would offer to polish the scratches out of it by shoving up his ass, then let him decide if he wants to go that route.

[Tinysd]

Who paid to fix the flat? :bwah:

Also, I must have missed the part where the dentist gets involved. :thefinger

[Komitadjie]

Eh, he was the one that improperly placed the item you ALREADY purchased for him... that'd be like me complaining that one of my knives rusted in a friend's garage after I left it sitting out on the bench in the middle of the winter and demanding that HE take care of the problem.

His stupidity, his repair.

[Tank Buster]

Oh, hell no. You paid for the bowling ball in the first place. It was his responsibility to pick them up from the garage after his tire was repaired. Besides it's not like the ball broke right?

To sum everything up... You don't owe him shit!

Except a good headbutt to the face for being ungrateful.

[Tank Buster]

As a matter of fact please direct your son to this thread. It'll maybe teach him a thing or 2.

[Winter]

This is a relatively simple problem to fix. Just charge him $100 for storing his 'stuff' and then give him $50 to resurface the wayward bowling ball. :jdwink2:

We have a winner.

[TPetsch]

He pulled out his bowling balls to get the "Spare".

...I found that amusing.


BTW: I think it serves him right for not keeping his valued ball in it's bag.

[Komodo]

He pulled out his bowling balls to get the "Spare".

...I found that amusing.


BTW: I think it serves him right for not keeping his valued ball in it's bag.

If you found that funny, you're gonna piss yourself on this........

the ball in question is his "Spare Ball" (the one he uses to pick up a spare) :ross: :ross: :ross:

[Komodo]

This is a relatively simple problem to fix. Just charge him $100 for storing his 'stuff' and then give him $50 to resurface the wayward bowling ball. :jdwink2:


We have a winner.

I agree!!!!!!! :bwah: :bwah: :bwah:

[Bango Skank]

if he is making a big deal about it than push him to the point to where he embarasses himself for making such a big fucking deal about it then lay it on him and tell him because it was in your charge you will pay for the repairs, and say nothing more.


if he is being a prick tell him to fuck off and that the reason it rolled across the street is because you wanted to see if you "still had it"


if he is letting it be than be the father in the situation and have it fixed without discussion.

in my opinion its most important he learns a good lesson however that be accomplished.

[tubtar]

Him just thinking that you should pay for it takes a lot of balls if you ask me.
O.K. , that wasn't quite as funny as the " spare " bit , but it still works.:bwah:

[gzb]

Hey John, how old is this said son?

[Mike Stewart]

You must have a very interesting relationship with your son.

[Komodo]

Hey John, how old is this said son?

28 :devilzeek :devilzeek :devilzeek

[englishmark]

At 28, I would have to tell him to sod off. He's a big boy ,he should be able to take it.

[Komodo]

You must have a very interesting relationship with your son.

My son's a great kid, and we do have a great relationship.

He's just too used to me automatically reaching into my pocket. :bwah:

[gzb]

He's just too used to me automatically reaching into my pocket. :bwah:


No time better than Right Now to fix that. Permanently... :ropeman:

He'll be an even better kid for it.

[JackBlades]

First, what serious bowler goes 2+ weeks without a practice?

IMO, unless you asked to borrow the ball for your own use, you are not obgligated to repair incidental damage.

[EOD13]

He's 28??? Come on... how can he look to Daddy for money to repair his bowling ball at 28. If anything you should tell him to pay for it, pay for storage, and pay for room and board instead of taking things for granted.

[Rat Finkenstein]

Donate the balls to a guy with a bowling ball cannon.

[mako]

He's 28??? Come on... how can he look to Daddy for money to repair his bowling ball at 28. If anything you should tell him to pay for it, pay for storage, and pay for room and board instead of taking things for granted.

Damn! At 28, I was well along into helping out my folks with THEIR expenses and here junior wants you to pay to shine his balls? :ross:

[JBird]

It'd be one thing if you took it out of a bag and purposely rolled it down the driveway, but you don't owe him a thing. If the ball was that important to him it would been properly stored. Even if you did accidentally cause the ball to start rolling, it should have never been left like that to begin with. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that leaving a heavy object that is designed to roll as effortlessly as possible at the top of a hill is not a good idea. :ross:

[falcon125]

Since its obviously Your fault that he got a flat tire, You should buy him a new car. And a rack for the highzoot bowling balls, Its not safe having them unsecured like that.:bwah::bwah:

[Tank Buster]

So, did you ever direct your son to this thread?

[JackBlades]

Wait the hell a minute!
Did I miss something? Does your very-near-thirty year old son live at home?
You won't like what is coming.


HE should be cleaning the garage. Among addressing other areas of personal responsibility.

Pardon me if I'm wrong. In that case see my first post in this thread!

[Komodo]

Wait the hell a minute!
Did I miss something? Does your very-near-thirty year old son live at home?
You won't like what is coming.


HE should be cleaning the garage. Among addressing other areas of personal responsibility.

Pardon me if I'm wrong. In that case see my first post in this thread!

You're not wrong, and I agree with you.

In his defense, he does do a lot around here, and he does want to move out on his own, but can't afford to. He has a "decent" job w/full benefits, but his student loans are killing him. 80% of his income goes to repaying them.

[Komodo]

It'd be one thing if you took it out of a bag and purposely rolled it down the driveway, but you don't owe him a thing. If the ball was that important to him it would been properly stored. Even if you did accidentally cause the ball to start rolling, it should have never been left like that to begin with. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that leaving a heavy object that is designed to rolling as effortlessly as possible at the top of a hill is not a good idea. :ross:


Since its obviously Your fault that he got a flat tire, You should buy him a new car. And a rack for the highzoot bowling balls, Its not safe having them unsecured like that.:bwah::bwah:

BOTH you guys had me laughing my ass off! :bwah: :bwah: :bwah:

[Komodo]

Damn! At 28, I was well along into helping out my folks with THEIR expenses and here junior wants you to pay to shine his balls? :ross:

Nah, that's his girlfriends job! :ross:

[DaBird]

I say "FUCK THAT SPOILED PUNK" ---- anyone that ownes more then ONE bowling ball MUST be spoiled :thumbsup:

And tell him I said so :devilfinger:

:cry::cry::cry::devilcorn:

[TopHat]

SO.......
Should I pay up?
~OR~
Serves you right for not cleaning up after yourself!

Shit, my old man woulda put the fuckin balls out on the curb with a sign inviting people to come take them for free.

Maybe if he had paid for his own balls he would have shown more respect for them..............

[Towelie]

Balls with no sack does not a man make.

[Komodo]

I say "FUCK THAT SPOILED PUNK" ---- anyone that ownes more then ONE bowling ball MUST be spoiled :thumbsup:

And tell him I said so :devilfinger:

:cry::cry::cry::devilcorn:

Ya' think so???? :bwah: :bwah: :bwah:

He's got two- 3 ball bags, and a 2 ball bag in the garage. The 5-ball rig is in his car.

BTW!!! There's no sign of the "loose" ball in the garage anymore! I don't know if he finally put it away, or if it decided to go on another adventure by itself! :bwah: :bwah: :bwah:

[Clydetz]

A rolling bowling ball gathers no moss! :thumbsup: