NEED TO KNOW
- A man and his girlfriend moved into a new apartment complex, but had yet to make any friends in the building
- One day, while going home, a neighbor asked him if he would pick up one of her packages while she was away for the holidays
- After agreeing, he was shocked by his girlfriend’s reaction to his neighborly gesture
Moving into a new apartment complex often comes with the excitement of a fresh start and the subtle anxiety of unfamiliar neighbors.
Many residents find themselves navigating small acts of trust that can either build community or create tension.
A recent story shared on Reddit highlights how even a simple favor, like holding a neighbor’s package, can become unexpectedly complicated.
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A 20-year-old man explained that he and his girlfriend recently moved into an apartment complex where each floor has four doors and separate entrances, and they hadn’t “interacted with any neighbors.”
One day, while heading upstairs, he encountered a neighbor who asked him for a favor: she had “a package on back order” and wanted him to take it in for her while she went home for the holidays.
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He noted that the complex is located in “a very safe neighborhood in a very safe city,” but added that packages could still be vulnerable since “the main doors to each sub section don’t have locks.” Without hesitation, he agreed, thinking it was simply a neighborly thing to do.
When the package arrived, the man told his girlfriend about it, only to be met with resistance.
She argued that he “would not be allowed to bring it in,” citing concerns that “we don’t know what’s in the package, we don’t know the neighbor, and we don’t know when they will be back and need the package back from us.”
She also added that “in apartment complexes, bringing in packages isn’t standard behavior” and even said she “would just take it back out if I brought it in.”
The Reddit user tried to reason with his girlfriend, explaining that he had already promised to help and didn’t anticipate any problems. “I don’t imagine there’s anything heinous inside it, and even if there was I wouldn’t mind holding onto it for a week or two over the holidays,” he wrote.
He expressed concern about leaving the package outside, worrying that “someone will steal it,” and that the neighbor might “think poorly of me if she comes back and the package is sitting outside even though she trusted me to bring it in.”
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The “silly” situation started as a small act of kindness, but turned into a whole dilemma that the pair can’t seem to get past.
“I feel like she is getting angry at me because she is saying it will be bad for me if I bring it in, who knows what that even means,” he ended. “Anyways, I fear if the package isn’t in the hall she will know I brought it in.”
Users quickly chimed in to support the boyfriend, with many agreeing that he was doing the right thing.
“You had the right idea; it is the neighborly thing to do,” one user wrote. “You’ve already agreed to take it in to make sure it doesn’t get stolen, so you should follow through and keep your word.”
Other commenters suggested that the original poster might be dealing with a “jealous” girlfriend. “Your gf is being irrational, it doesn’t matter what’s in it since it’s never going to be opened by you,” another person wrote.
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