My Next Door Neighbor

[AllChangeNow]

I know he was probably joking, but my Next Door Neighbor Jeff, was collecting up leaves in his garden and saw me hanging out the washing and shouted across the fence, “it’s a hard life, a man’s work is never done!” I laughed of course but felt incredibly irritated by the joke not least because hanging out the washing isn’t my only household chore - AIBU? What irritates you?

There’s one other irritation - a friend who suffered from acute osteoarthritis, when going to the theater, needed a wheelchair with carer/companion -

on entering a theater in Birmingham, MA one year, they were just going through the doors into the front of the stalls, into the designated disabled area, when a member of the theater staff approached (not looking at my friend in the wheelchair) but looking directly at the carer/companion said in a loud voice …

“Will she be alright here or will she need to go upstairs in the circle?”
To which my friend, angrily retorted, “YES SHE’LL BE FINE HERE THANKS VERY MUCH!”

Why do some assume that wheelchair bound people are less human than others? Is it lack of training?

Surely he was talking about himself?!Making a joke about him having a lot to do?
You are very much overreacting.

I suppose it's odd that he didn't just say something like "It never ends, does it!" in reference to you hanging your washing and him raking leaves. Who knows, maybe he had to be pestered by his wife into collecting the leaves and just wanted an excuse to make a loud comment that she'd hear inside. I wouldn't let it bother you.