So I had a pencil that was given to me by my grandad that died.
Next day I went to grab it and it was gone.
I asked my roommate if he used it and he said “I don’t know, maybe.” With a stupid ugly grin on his face
I was like “bro it was literally a valuable item for me.”
He said “it’s just a pencil you clearly don’t need it anyways you don’t write ”cause I work on the computer .
Literally made my blood boil seeing the pencil broken. The pencil had my name on it with a small engraving of his signature
I told him to fight me or pay me back, and he laughed and said “it’s not that serious.” he’s a silver spoon kid only going to college cause he’s parents told him to the day I met him he had lost his dog and said “good I didn’t like that little fucker anyways”
I don’t want to be petty but it’s the principle I saw him open his bank account in front not me he had around 15k alone if I he wanted pencils why use the one that is dearest to me
He’s cartoonishly stereotypical villain it’s kinda funny
AITA
I forgot to meantion that was my last memory of my Grandad cause I only saw him 2 times a year and no photos together he didn’t like them
NTA but i dont have particularly high hopes for your success.
NTA – Its a valued thing to you even if just a pencil. Who is he to dictate that its importance and worse – steal it.
ESH because this lacks vital context.
Where was the pencil, OP? Somewhere safe and protected because it’s a treasured memento? Or in a drawer or jar with other writing implements?
When you said “it was a valuable item for me” did you explain that it held SENTIMENTAL value and that it was a memento of a dead relative?
Because it honestly sounds like you hate him for other reasons and this is the excuse you are using to make him feel shitty.
NTA
But it is not about paying the pencil, it is about keeping his hands to himself and respecting you
NTA. this roommate is ywbta. your grandad’s pencil wasn’t just ‘a pencil’, it held sentimental value. his disrespectful, uncaring attitude towards your loss shows a lack of empathy and respect for others’ feelings
NTA
What’s priceless to someone, might be garbage to another. But, to the person it’s priceless too, respect should be given. (I am also not saying your pencil is garbage.) My Dad used mechanical pencils that you can’t find anymore. I took one from his desk after he passed and came unglued when my daughter found it and wanted to bring it to school. It’s now in a shadow box.
My grandfather passed away a few years ago.
About 15 years ago i gave him a locally made pen, made from wood and a rifle bullet casing. Cost me maybe $20. Nothing fancy.
After he died i found out he used it daily (he did a lot of fabrication, farming, and some construction. Its corroded and worn, but i’ve got it now and it sits on my bedside table. Id be devastated if someone tossed it because its ‘ugly’ or ‘just a pen’.
Fake
Its absolute bs..
I’m confused. Your grandfather gave you a pencil and the next day it was gone. Was this the day after your grandfather gave it to you?
Your roommate was rude and then it made your “blood boil” because you saw it broken.
You wanted him to either pay you or fight you???????????? What?
What does his bank account have to do with any of this?
From the convoluted story here I gather that your grandfather gave you a pencil for he died. You kept the pencil in your dorm room, somewhere accessible by your roommate. Your roommate took the pencil and broke it. Then told you that you don’t need a pencil. You were made and wanted to be paid back for the pencil, OR you wanted to fight him. Then you list a couple of things that really have nothing to do with the pencil. His parents forcing him to go to college, his dog dying, and his bank account have nothing to do with the pencil. So, having summed up what I think happened, here’s what I think:
You sound jealous of your roommate because he is, apparently, wealthy. How much did that pencil actually cost? Was it an heirloom your grandfather paid $1,000 for, or was it a typical pencil he carved something on? It makes a difference because he would need to make you whole. That means he pays you the value of the pencil. It has sentimental value, but the law looks at actual value. It is probably worth $5.00 (or less, I’m being generous here) legally. The cost to replace a pencil is very cheap, unless it’s a pencil set in a box. Even then it’s usually less than $25.00 to $50.00 for the best sets. A wooden pencil is under $1. You might feel it’s priceless and I get that, but legally you have to prove value and I doubt you will be able to prove more than a token amount. That aside, what will you do with the money? You can buy a new pencil, but it won’t have the carving on it.
I think you should look into fitting/gluing it back together and putting it in a display case. Ask your family for a photo of Grandpa. There must be one somewhere. Put the photo and pencil in a shadow box display. You could even add a short note about why the pencil is important to you. No one can use it if it’s sealed in a display.
Work on getting past the jealousy over your roommate. He may be terrible, but you are stuck with him for this year.
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Can’t believe this is real story. If there’s a kernel of truth, it’s buried under making the roommate the worst person ever. Shades of The Day Eddie Said He Didn’t Like His Teddy…