There’s an episode of Seinfeld when George kicks Jerry out of his car because he won’t stop teasing him, and later he says that’s something he “always wanted” to do. Maybe it’s a fantasy of some, but I think most of us like to think of ourselves as good friends, ready and willing to offer rides to friends and family members who need them.
This story begins with a rock that was passed down from OPs grandfather. He always kept it in his car and it clearly had sentimental value.
A little back story. I (24m) have a car rock, it used be my grandfathers and he would always have it in his car as a “lucky totem” and had it for about 30 years according to my mom, but he passed away when I was around 5. I don’t have much to remember him besides a few pictures of us, his ring, a knife and this rock. When I turned 18 my mom gave me the knife, ring and rock because my grandfather wanted me to receive these on my 18th birthday. I keep his knife in my room, wear the ring everyday and in the past 6 years I’ve had kept that rock in my car too and kept it as a lucky totem as well. Sometimes when I drive ill have the rock in my hand and just rub my thumb over and it kind of gives me peace of mind. I don’t really know how to explain it in words I guess.
OP was nice enough to pick up a friend who needed a ride from work. She noticed the rock, asked about it, and then proceeded to tell OP it was stupid and throw it out the window.
I just squeaked.
So onto the story. This happened last night. My friend “Jane”(26F) car is currently in the shop for repairs of a accident (she got rear ended and it messed up her whole back end). So the past week she’s has either been ubering or asking friends to pick her up when her shift is done and thats around 730 pm. Her work is about 30 minutes away from me and she lives about 10 minutes from me. So last night she called me at 7pm and asked me if I could pick her up and so I said sure no big deal.
So I pick her up and everything was fine until I picked up my rock and staring rubbing it, Jane asked what was in my hand. I showed it to her and said “this is my lucky rock I sometimes rub it whenever I drive.” She asked to hold it and I gave it to her. She told me that the rock is stupid and before I could say anything back she threw it out the window. I screamed “What the fuck why did you do that?”. Jane said “Rocks are stupid and lucky items don’t work.”
They were five minutes from her home and OP kicked her out of the car.
He also told her she would never get back in until that rock was found, and sent her on her way.
At this point I’m probably 5 minutes away from her house so I pulled over in a grocery store lot and asked her to get out. Jane asked why I was making a big deal about so I told her the meaning behind the rock. And finally I said “Until you find that rock and give it back to me, never call me for a ride and you’re never allowed into my car again.” She ended up getting out of my car and I drove to vicinity of where she threw it at and I spent about 2 hours trying to find it.
Some of his friends understand what the rock means to him, but others are upset with him for leaving a woman to walk home in the dark.
During those 2 hours friends from our group called me asking what happened and I explained my side. Most of the group knew the significance of the rock because I’ve given them rides before and they asked about it. Those ones are on my side but the last few are calling me the asshole because I left a woman alone to walk home in the dark. I do feel guilty for kicking her out and I felt like I could’ve handled the situation better.
He thinks he probably could have handled the situation better, but wonders whether or not he’s overreacting about the entire thing.
So reddit AITA for kicking my friend out of my car and banning her from entering my car over a rock?
What does Reddit think? Let’s find out!
First, they thought she had some nerve – and not in a good way.
Image Credit: Reddit
It doesn’t matter what other people think of your things, they can’t throw them away.
Image Credit: Reddit
The behavior is actually just appalling.
Image Credit: Reddit
She really went overboard on being an a$shole.
Image Credit: Reddit
Some people are just always going to have trouble making friends, I guess.
Image Credit: Reddit
OP did provide an update that his friends helped him search more than once, and he did end up finding his rock.
The jerk is still part of their friend group and she did apologize.
All’s well that ends well, I suppose.
