Couple Becomes Friends With Elderly Neighbor, But Things Soon Take A Sinister Turn When They Get Added To Her Emergency Contact List

Would it be wrong of her to cut ties with a demanding elderly neighbor?

Lakeisha

• Published in Interesting
• November 8, 2022

One Reddit user, MamfieG, and her husband became friends with an elderly neighbor after moving to a new home. Initially, things started well between them, and they even had beers together.

The elderly neighbor got their numbers in case of emergency, while her daughter granted them access to an emergency key and added them to her mother's emergency line.

However, things fell apart when the elderly neighbor asked MamfieG and her husband to cut down their jasmine hedge, and they refused because they liked how it added privacy between gardens.

Although MamfieG's husband offered to cut back on the neighbor's side, the neighbor wasn't pleased and tried to fool a handyman into cutting the jasmine hedge. MamfieG and her husband have a newborn and a dog.

Recently, there was an emergency as the elderly neighbor fell. Since MamfieG was on her emergency contact, the elderly neighbor called her for help, and she called the paramedics.

When the paramedics came, they had to scale MamfieG's garden wall to get into the elderly neighbor's home because she double-locked the door. The incident left MamfieG's newborn crying and her dog barking incessantly as the paramedics had to go through their home.

Now, MamfieG is considering asking the elderly neighbor to take her off her emergency contact as she feels she can't cope with the responsibility. However, she wants to know whether it is wrong to do that, so she took AITA subreddit to ask for people's thoughts on the matter.

Here are some of the responses she got.

Here's how it started.

Wow, the nerve.

I think OP was right to do what she did.

Finally, this happened. Reddit responds.

1. They shouldn't have agreed to be her emergency contact in the first place.

2. She should stop allowing the neighbor to walk all over her.

3. The woman isn't her responsibility.

4. She should get herself off the emergency contact list.

5. The elderly neighbour should find someone else.

6. She should learn how to say "no".

7. She should prioritize herself and her family.

8. The woman should move in with her kids if she needs help.

9. She should ask to be removed if she can't handle it.

10. She's not obligated to help the neighbor.

11. The neighbor's daughter should care for her mother.

12. Her daughter should have asked for consent before adding her to the emergency contact list.

13. The elderly neighbour isn't her responsibility.

14. The neighbor is taking advantage of her.

15. She owes the elderly neighbor nothing.

16. The neighbor is manipulative.

17. She should have ended things from the beginning.

18. She's at risk of moving out of the home due to stress.

19. She should establish boundaries.

20. She should involve adult protective services.

What Do You Think?

Having a friend nearby goes a long way in helping us settle down in any environment, especially in a new city or neighborhood.

So, when we move into a new home, it is not uncommon for many of us to befriend our neighbors. However, sometimes, we may end up regretting the decision.

What do you think is the right thing to do in this situation?

Lakeisha