'A school dad forced me to pay $760 to fix his son's laptop'

"It was an accident. We should have gone 50/50." Who do you think should have forked out?

Image: Supplied

I was at work when I got a distressed text from my Grade 10 kid.

"Listen you're going to be fu**ing p*ssed," he began in his usual candid way.

"I'm so sorry and it wasn't on purpose but I damaged my friend's laptop screen. 

"I tossed their guitar tuner to them and it damaged part of their screen. They've reported it to the school but their dad says it's ok and he understands it was an accident.

"I've looked up the cost for repairs and an estimate is like $200 - $300."

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Texts between the mum and son, the damage to the laptop, and the invoice. Image: Supplied

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"It was an absolute accident"

One thing my dad taught me that has helped me manage stress levels throughout my life is that if something is a genuine mistake, and true accident, then that's just life. Those things will happen.

Dad wanted me to feel safe going to him with my stuff ups, no matter how big, and I've taught my kid the same. 

So my response was a cool, "Have they said they want us to pay? It was an absolute accident." My thinking was to be calm in the crisis to reassure him, and we could discuss it at home.

Still, my son knew this laptop damage was a big thing. He explained that they'd been in music class, warming up, and his mate needed his guitar tuner from my kid - and asked for it to be thrown over.

My kid chucked it over to where his mate was, not even seeing the open laptop on the floor next to him. The other kid didn't catch the tuner, and it landed on the floor - but not before it hit and irrevocably damaged the screen - and evidently the LCD component behind it. 

Of course, the kids didn't know that at the time.

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"I was forced into paying $760"

When my son came home, I told him he should give my phone number to his mate's parents, so we could discuss what was happening. To my surprise, I didn't hear anything for a few weeks.

Then randomly one day, I got a text from an unknown number, with a quote from the Apple Store for $760.

I presumed it was one of the laptop boy's parents - but I had no intention of replying with, "Sure, send me your bank details."

So I called, and the dad answered. I introduced myself and told him my name, and asked for his. This felt so weird, and so rude.

I explained I haven't actually seen the damage, I don't know its extent or what is wrong. I said I accepted the official quote from the Apple Store and understand it's the LCD, but it was way more than I expected, and asked if he had some sort of contents insurance where I could pay the excess.  I also mentioned that I thought since both kids were involved, we could go 50/50 on the repair. Because if the roles were reversed, I would have accepted that.

The dad was having none of it. 

As I spoke, his replies became angrier. 

"If he'd hit my car, you'd have to pay," he said, voice rising.

I pointed out yes - but we'd have insurance for that. This was A LOT of money. I reiterated that his kid asked for the tuner to be thrown over - he didn't retrieve it himself - and his kid is the one who didn't catch it. To me, it was just an accident that involved both of them, and I didn't think the blame should be absorbed wholly by us.

But as the man got more fired up, standing in the middle of the Apple Store, something became very clear to me.

I needed to pay that full $760 without further argument for the sake of my son. 

I was also pushed to this decision when he finally, erratically said to me, "I'll sue you for it."

I imagined the conversations at the home about us not paying fully. About the kid telling mates at school and how that might have a social impact on my son. About how likely it would be running into the parents in the future.

So I spoke to the Apple Genius Bar dude to confirm everything and paid the price.

And don't worry about my parenting - my kid 'paid' too - there were some extra chores to be done, and sacrifices to be made, for some time to come. 

Originally published as 'A school dad forced me to pay $760 to fix his son's laptop'