To have assumed the elephant was free to a good home?

[listsandbudgets]

took DS (2) for a walk earlier in the rain and we saw a elephant on rockers abandoned on the pavement. DS immediately jumped on and started playing with and and kept saying " please take it home".

I knocked on the door of the house it was outside and the lady who answered said it had been there a couple of days but it wasn't hers.

I assumed it had been abandoned for whoever wanted it so picked it up and immediately a woman came racing out of the next house shouting that it was her sons toy and we were stealing it. She called me a thief and an "inconsiderate bitch" before snatching the elephant and walking back up her path still shouting abuse.

WIBU to assume that it had been put out for someone to take (as often happens round here?) Was the woman actually watching her elephant out of the window waiting to see who fell into the trap of actually picking it up? Who the hell leaves their elephant in the rain anyway?

Poor ds was really upset :(

If it was on the footpath, then it was a reasonable assumption that it was there to be taken away, by whoever wanted it. That's fairly common practise, in the UK. Usually, people will check, as you tried to do. It sounds like it was closer to her neighbour's house, than her own. So reasonable for you to ask there.

It doesn't sound like you did anything wrong. It's a pity for your DS, though.

Clearly the owner was very rude to you, and should have taken more care with her child's possessions.

But yabu to think "finders keepers"

Was it like this one? amzn.to/1KNFSJi
If so they're about £50 and she was mad to just leave it out like that.

I am always leaving unwanted items just inside the front gate for people to take if they want. Got rid of an old lady shopping trolly thing like that only last week. Anyone want a lawnmower with a knackered blade? That's going out when it stops raining.

I would never assume something left on the pavement was mine to take. I also wouldn't let my child play with it.

It wouldn't cross my mind that something on the pavement was free to passers-by unless there was a note attached, saying so. The woman was silly to have left it there, though and it seems as if she was watching to see what happened rather than simply coning out and taking it indoors. I'm sorry she was so aggressive to you and that you and your son were upset.

^^ coming not 'coming' .

Sorry but your da being sad over wanting something that's not his is very odd. Why was he even asking to take it home at all?

Sod it! Coning I mean.

Of course YABU

You don't know that some other child had dropped it for example

Sorry but I don't think the OP was U. The woman was U to leave stuff outside and not expect it to go walkies.

Ah have seen it was a rocker so unlikely to have been dropped

Without a note on it, I wouldn't have assumed it was there to be taken

It wouldn't occur to me that something left on a pavement was free to a good home. I would assume a child had left it instead of taking it in.

Where I live people leave stuff outside on the street and it's definitely there to be taken. If it's in a garden then no, but on the pavement it's fair game.

Id never assume something had been left to be taken.

I think yabu to just help yourself. Her child probably just left the toy out. The children on our street often do this and I am sure would be upset if their toys were stolen.

Howver the owner was also bu for being so rude and aggressive.

I would say you anbu. Where I used to live things were often put out as unwanted to be taken. If you hadn't knocked to ask it might be different but you did. The fact it had been there for days and the neighbour didn't know who it belonged to wouldmake me think it was uunwanted. Hope ds was ok with the shouty owner, not scared by her - she only had to say "excuse me that's mine" or something. I'm sure it was upsetting but that is thes best question I've heard for a long time - who leaves their elephant in the rain!

YABU! Put it on a wall and tell your DC it's someone else's and they'll come back to look for it.

Otherwise your LO will surely think anything he finds he can keep no?

(But yes weird the owner was watching and was very rude)

Yanbu. I would have done same. Mad woman!

Where I live (London) everyone leaves things they don't want outside on the pavement too so I would have presumed it was there for the taking.

Was I the only one who has visions of OP walking Emmett the elephant away from Whipsnade?

Mixed responses. I'm still not sure if I was being unreasonable!

For clarity ds was upset because of the shouting not because he couldn't have the elephant.

I did tell him we had to check before taking it. Certainly wouldn't have just walked off with it.

Poor little elephant I hope it's day got better once it was inside in the dry

It sounds like it was a big toy so not likely to have been dropped, but yes, if it was on its own, not put next to a bin, and with no note, then I would be unsure what it was doing out there so I'd knock on doors or leavd it

Aunt Mags u think that ds just liked the elephant and thought it would be nice to take it home. He says the same about the slide at the park! I guess it's just something to do with being 2!

I would have thought the same tbh, YANBU and that woman sounds unhinged!

I saw a skateboard that had been out next to a load of rubbish bags on rubbish collection day and told dd she could have it! It was beaten up but otherwise worked fine.

I've left dozens of things just by our gate to be taken. Happens all the time here.