So I (23M) was at a family gathering playing some random game with my cousins (who range from my age to early 30s), and we decided that the award for winning would be placing a dare on one of the players. I’ve always hated dares but I didn’t want to be a party pooper so I played along.
The first few dares where simple and fun, like licking a piece of wood from the fireplace (obviously turned off) and making an awkward call to an old high school classmate. Then they got to me… my dare was to knock on some neighbor’s door and ask for a roll of toilet paper and to record myself while doing it. I though that would be easy enough so I agreed.
I went over to the house up front as the lights were still on, and there weren’t many other options as it was a Sunday at like 8 or 9pm. I started recording and put my phone on my pocket in a way that you could see or listen to what was happening, and went up the steps of their front door, I knocked softly but loud enough to hear. A middle aged lady opened the door, don’t really remember her face as I was very nervous.
Despite my hate of dares, I’ve always been of the belief that saying that you got dared to do something is cheating and basically chickening out, so I made up a lie. I told the lady that I had just moved a few houses away with my newly wed wife, and that when doing the groceries had forgot to buy toilet paper, and that she was furious in the bathroom with no toilet paper. Not the best lie, but the one I came up with while walking the few feet next door.
She looked at me weird and reluctantly agreed, and passed me a roll. Then she started getting curious… she asked what was my house number… I was cooked. I knew my uncle’s house was number 40, so I stumbled and said that I wasn’t sure, but maybe number 45 and that it was like 2 or 3 houses up. She looked at me suspiciously and I just said that I had to go ’cause my wife was gonna kill me, thanked her and started walking down the steps as she closed the door slowly behind me. I thought of walking up towards the direction I said I lived but honestly, was to tired from the anxiety of having to make up some random ish on the fly.
I victoriously walked back to the house and threw the toilet paper at the person who dared me as everyone cheered and laughed. The night went on as normal until a moment when my uncle came to the living room and screamed at us that how dare we bother the neighbors, that we were to old to play pranks on others (maybe he isn’t wrong on that) and that the lady called my aunt in a panic telling her the situation. The night was kind of awkward afterwards but we tried to shake it off.
Still I did send a text to both my uncle and my aunt apologizing for going along with the dare as I do admit that it was kind of childish, and maybe the lady was going through something we didn’t know, like she could’ve had a stalker or something. Otherwise I really couldn’t imagine why she freaked out so badly. AITA?
It was stupid, immature and don’t do it again. However, your uncle needs to get over it.
ESH, among the lot of you who decided to do dares, especially you and the dare-giver for your dare. It’s only a prank if the target – that poor lady down the street – is laughing, too. Your uncle hit this one on the head with every point. You shouldn’t be involving strangers. You genuinely scared that poor woman. You’re all old enough that you should know better than dumb teenage-style hijinks.
Agree with your analysis, but why ESH? Should be YTA, no?
I should have explained I meant the lot of them that decided to do dares.
YTA You are lucky she didn’t call the police.
It was childish but hella funny too.
YTA. You’re 23 and bothering the neighbours late at night for a silly dare. Sure, it was technically harmless, but anyone would be suspicious if a random dude showed up at their house, couldn’t remember his house number, then started walking in the opposite direction. It was an unnecessary thing to do.
NTA You were playing a game and I think the lady just didn’t believe your story. She likely knows all the neighbors and it would be weird for someone to move in and not know what house they were living in. You could have just told her you were dared to ask for TP and asked her to help you win your game. She probably would have still given it to you. You could go back tomorrow and apologize and give her back her roll of TP. That could make it better if you come clean. If not, just let it go and don’t do it again.
NTA it was a silly joke.