Pexels/Reddit
Public spaces are shared by everyone, but loud behavior can get annoying really quickly.
The following story is about a man who was working on his laptop in a cafe in Berlin.
He noticed that a young child nearby began screaming constantly, despite having guardians with her.
He looked visibly annoyed but never complained to the mother or asked them to leave.
But the mother confronted him anyway and accused him of discriminating against children.
Let’s take a closer look!
I was in a cafe in Berlin. It was a Saturday. I was using my laptop to plan my trip.
At a table next to me, there were 2 women with 3 kids.
The youngest of them (1 to 3 years old) was screaming constantly.
It was obvious that the kid didn’t want to be there.
The mother, however, just kept talking to the other woman.
This man was approached by the kid’s mother who confronted him.
I was visibly annoyed and looked at the crying kid and the mother a few times.
She then approached me and said:
“This is a cafe, and everyone has the right to be here.
If you’re annoyed by the kid, you can go and work in a co-working space.”
He replied and emphasized that the screaming was annoying everyone.
To this, I replied, “The kid is screaming, and it’s annoying for everyone.
Also, I didn’t complain about it or tell you anything about it.”
She then became more frustrated and said:
“You are discriminating against children. Everyone has the right to be here.”
They kept going back and forth.
I said, “I’m not discriminating against anyone.
I have the right to look wherever I want and to be annoyed as much as I want.
I’m not the one who approached you and bothered you in any way.”
She kept on rambling and left the cafe. Am I the jerk?
Honestly, OP did not do anything wrong. He simply expressed his annoyance over a screaming child.
He never approached the mother or demanded that she leave.
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However, repeatedly looking at the child and mother may have made his annoyance obvious enough for her to feel judged.
Let’s check out the comments of other people on this story.
This user shares their personal thoughts.
Here’s another honest opinion.
I would be mortified, says this one.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about neighbors who complain about dandelions only to find themselves on the other end of a creative response.
This person makes a valid point.
Finally, this makes sense, too.
Being bothered by noise isn’t the same as discriminating against someone.
Enjoyed this story? Readers who liked this also read this story about a woman who refused to let her neighbor have access to his spot, telling him to drive over the curb instead.
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Heide Lazaro is a veteran human-interest writer and digital culture expert with over a decade of experience in editorial strategy. Specializing in lifestyle, social dynamics, and the internet’s most compelling stories, Heide has authored and published more than 10 books online. Beyond her daily reporting, she is a dedicated motivational speaker who helps audiences connect through the power of storytelling. When she isn’t sifting through the web’s wildest real-life drama, Heide is an avid runner, painter, and novel-enthusiast fueled by a truly excellent cup of coffee.
Categories: Life & Drama, Neighbors & Community
Tags: · aita, berlin, cafe, kids, laptop, mother, picture, reddit, top, trip