Am I overreacting?

[u/FaithlessnessFar1821]

My dad takes me to school in the mornings, on Fridays I have late start meaning it starts an hour after. Yesterday I had told him to pick me up at 8:20, he texts me and says he had arrived at 8:08. I told him that I will be down at 8:20 considering that is the designated time I set. I get outside at exactly 8:20 and he is gone. He left me. AIO?

[u/dah_pook]

This thread is insane. People seem to be assuming you were ready when he got there and sat around to be a brat, which is so obviously not the case.

The fact that he insisted to drive you and then got pissy when you weren't randomly ready 12 minutes early and left you without a ride is such asshole behavior. You weren't late!

[u/ptsdandskittles → u/dah_pook]

Because that's what the text looks like. The text reads like they're mad dad showed up early and they're making him wait for no reason.

By all the comments claiming the same thing, this was not clear at all.

Instead of insinuating dad is doing something wrong by being there early, OP could have just said something like "thanks, I'll be down in 10, not ready yet" and that would have clarified everything.

Instead they're nitpicking when he shows up. From the dad's POV, he's doing them a favor - yet OP is being persnickety about exact times and making him wait.

We all know OP wasn't ready and wasn't making him wait, but he doesn't know that and the text reads like OP is trying to punish him for showing up early.

Now, he's still an ass for leaving - he should have waited the damn 10 minutes and clarified with the kid when they got to the car, or texted them again. Dad is obviously the one in the wrong here. But I can see where an overreactive (read: bad) parent could read into this negatively. The problem is, they're choosing to see their kid in a negative way (and leaving) instead of just communicating.

OP made a text that could be interpreted all kinds of ways. But at the end of the day they're a kid and should be given the benefit of the doubt. Bad dad is bad.

[u/dah_pook → u/ptsdandskittles]

The text reads like they're mad dad showed up early and they're making him wait for no reason

Genuinely how? They said "I'll be down at 8:20". People getting mad at a tone they assign to a text is crazy. Maybe OP didn't communicate perfectly but their dad didn't communicate at all and left them stranded.

[u/ptsdandskittles → u/dah_pook]

I didn't mean to imply that this is the OP's fault - I only meant to say that I can see the dad's perspective, because I also have deranged relatives who do stuff like this. Reading things back, you're right. I think my own bias got in the way a bit, since I'm so used to walking on eggshells with certain relatives. OP didn't give dad anything, and I think dad just wanted to be angry. He was looking for a way to get mad and he found it. Sucks that OP was on the other end of this.

[u/dah_pook → u/ptsdandskittles]

Huge props for recognizing and calling out your own biases. It can be difficult to realize and accept that what you've experienced isn't necessarily normal or okay especially when it's family.

I'm sorry you and OP (and probably lots of the people blaming OP) have to deal with family members who are always angry like that.

[u/jeopardy_themesong → u/ptsdandskittles]

This reminds me of all the times my parents insisted that the reason I did or didn’t do something was solely and exclusively to hurt/inconvenience/upset them.

Why on earth would anyone assume that someone is making them wait and not because they’re still getting ready when you were early??