Advice needed dealing with difficult relative

[Contra Mundum]

Originally Posted by Lovemyfaith

Yesterday I got an email from her that her daughter's bike was stolen and she wanted the bikes back.

What on earth would you do?

Return the bike and stay away from this person. She sounds like a selfish, spoilt, manipulative brat. Sure, help her out if she has nobody else to clean up her mess, but please don't go out of your way to take care of her. She is not a helpless child, although she behaves like one.

[Monicad]

Originally Posted by hannajomar

.....If it were me and I still had the bikes, I would give them back for the sake of my own sanity. If you want to avoid contact, you can have a third party return them or leave them at her house when she's not home. Those bikes are something she will hold over your head for the rest of your life.......

You know I would agree with you 100% if I had not had contact with similiar people in my life. Logic would tell you that if she returned the bikes then this person will leave her alone, and that if she keeps the bikes (as you say) this woman will hold it over her head for the rest of her life.

Unfortunately (in my opinion) this logic does not work becuase she is dealing with a manipulative and nasty person. I highly doubt if she returns the bikes it will bring her peace, this woman will find they are scratched, dented or complain about something else. Routinely she has done things like this complained and twisted things to suit her. This is the only reason why I think no contact should at least be a consideration.

With logical people when you do A.....they do B.....predictable. Therefore people assume if she returns the bikes she will have peace. I say it is possible that won't happen but will bring her more problems and headaches, for Heaven's sake five years later? I still wonder if it's best to delete the email completely and forget you ever read it!

However I waffle back and forth if you think it will bring peace dump the bikes at her house then block her phone and email address because she most certainly will call to complain about something just guessing but my best guess.