The Day I Taught My Neighbor’s Kid A Lesson—And His Mom Finally Thanked Me

The situation soon became serious. The very next day, Matteo did more than just ring the bell—he smeared a food product, either peanut butter or Nutella, all over my doorknob. This was particularly alarming because I have a known peanut allergy. While I was fortunate that the reaction wasn’t severe and I washed my hands immediately, I was deeply rattled by the potential danger.

I brought it up with Renata again, this time with a greater sense of urgency. Her tone hardened immediately. “He would never do that. Maybe it was one of the other neighborhood kids. Or maybe a squirrel. I saw one near our porch with a granola bar yesterday.” The idea of a squirrel being the culprit was almost laughable, but I held my tongue. I knew I needed undeniable proof.

Gathering Evidence and The Teenager’s Intervention
I went back home and installed a security camera, often referred to as a Ring cam, near my front door. The footage I collected over the next few days showed that Matteo was doing much more than just the doorbell trick. He was drawing messy shapes on my mailbox with chalk, carelessly pulling flowers from my planters, and at one point, it looked like he even deliberately spit on the welcome mat.

With the video evidence clearly showing the date, time, and his actions, I walked back to their house. Renata wasn’t home, but her teenage daughter, Araceli, answered the door. She looked visibly exhausted, likely from school or a job. When I asked for her mom, she said she was out and politely asked what I needed.

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