Motherhood

No neighborhood would be complete without that one neighbor who complains about the pettiest things. The big problem comes when you live in a shared building or in a homeowners' association where a nosy neighbor has the power to make your life miserable.

Some people take umbrage at the most minor perceived slights, like visible trash cans in the driveway, a few unraked weeds, or a mailbox that's seen better days. Others take it a step further and start coming after the kids for playing, making noise, and generally doing things kids do. And that's where good citizens tend to draw their line in the sand.

Ashley Woodfolk, a young adult fiction writer in Brooklyn, couldn't believe it when she received a complaint via the board at her co-op: Someone had complained about her toddler writing in sidewalk chalk in the courtyard of her building.

Woodfolk is the award-winning author of over 10 books, including When You Were Everything, Nothing Burns As Bright As You, and The Beauty That Remains.

Who complains about sidewalk chalk?

Sidewalk chalk, can you believe it? Not only does sidewalk chalk easily wash away, but the complaint was about the usage of the common courtyard. "My son is 2 years old and we've been writing in the courtyard most of the summer," Woodfolk told Newsweek. "I don't think anyone else was doing it as the courtyard is largely unused (my apartment faces it and it's usually empty), although I did have another neighbor come up to me after I wrote the letter to say him and his son were using sidewalk chalk at there at the start of the pandemic and someone complained then too."

You could understand if the anonymous complainer didn't like kids drawing, say, directly on their own door or steps. But this is just a thinly veiled message that kids aren't welcome in the neighborhood.

For those who live outside of New York City, a co-op is a type of housing where each resident is a shareholder in a corporation and pays for their living area based on its size. Co-ops usually have a committee or board that meets to address issues that arise in the building, much like a typical HOA in a suburban neighborhood.

Incredibly, someone would be so shallow that they'd complain about a toddler drawing in sidewalk chalk. All it takes is a hose or a light rain, and the chalk will disappear forever.

Woodfolk was incensed that someone would make such a complaint. So she decided to apologize to the woman by writing her a letter. Oh, and the letter was absolutely massive, written across the entire outside courtyard in sidewalk chalk. Talk about a mic drop.

Woodfolk shared the post on X, where it went viral

"This will be my last time using sidewalk chalk in the courtyard since it seems to be such a problem for you (and only for you). I'm sorry harmless fun that brought my toddler joy (and has actually helped him learned all of his letters and most of his numbers –– his favorites are E and 8) causes you so much distress that you had to complain to the board and waste everyone's time when our building has much bigger real problems.

"I think you're aware that we're in a pandemic and while I'd love to take my kid to museums and the movies I don't feel safe doing that, and sometimes even local parks are more crowded than I'm comfortable with. The courtyard was a safe space but now there are limits on that too. There only a few weeks of nice weather left, and I sincerely hope you enjoy the use of the sidewalk-chalk free courtyard for the remainder of the fall. And I hope that every time it rains, rain that would have washed away any colorful ABCs I wrote on the ground, you think of me."

All my love, Ashley."

To make sure she got her message across, she also left a (smaller copy of the) letter for the woman in the lobby of the building.

According to Woodfolk's update, the woman got the message

Woodfolk doesn't blame the board for hearing about the complaint. She assumes they heard about it multiple times and had to give her the news because they didn't want to be harassed.

Users were in utter disbelief and excited to cheer Woodfolk on in her quest for petty revenge.

"I love this, and you're amazing," one user wrote.

"Dealing with this myself at our apartment complex. It's crazy how many grinches there are in the world. Fight for the kids!" added another

One follower who owns an Etsy shop where she makes sidewalk chalk in adorable shapes offered to send Woodfolk's child a set.

Let's hope that Woodfolk's dramatic reaction teaches the woman, and anyone else who wants to make petty complaints, that they should think twice before reporting someone to the board. They just might get a taste of their own pettiness in a glorious way.

This article originally appeared four years ago. It has been updated.