When 5-year-old Alex was unable to make it to his friend’s birthday, his dad thought nothing of it…until his son received an invoice for $30 for not attending.
Alex had the bill placed in his school bag by a teacher at the request of the birthday boy’s mum, Julie Lawrence, after he failed to attend the party at a ski and snowboard centre in the UK just before Christmas.
Alex’s parents Derek Nash and Tanya Walsh first thought the invoice was “a joke” and said they wouldn’t be paying. Until they discovered Julie is now planning to sue.
“She saw me and asked if Alex was coming to the party. At the time I said he was looking forward to it,” Derek explained to a local newspaper. After originally confirming Alex’s attendance, Derek later remembered a pre-arranged trip with his grandparents on the same day.
“By this time we didn’t have a contact number, email or an address to let [the boy’s mother] know. So on the day of the party we asked Alex what he wanted to do – he chose to be with his grandparents.”
While Alex’s school has apologised for agreeing to send the invoice home, the birthday boy’s family aren’t so apologetic.
“I told Julie I had found the invoice in my son’s school bag and I wasn’t happy about it. I told her I would not be paying her the money,” Derek said.
“I told her she should’ve spoken to me first. I would’ve sympathised with her about the cost of Alex not showing up, but I just can’t believe the way she has gone around it.”
The mothers of both children, Julie and Tanya, have since discussed the matter on Facebook. However, it appears they have not yet come to an agreement.
“…This is not the first time Alex has not turned up to a party he has been invited to, either. The amicable way round this I believe would be to pay me the money and let a lesson be learnt, I hope this is agreeable?” Julie wrote in part of the conversation.
“…And exactly what lesson would I be learning. I am not a child, so please do not speak to me like I am one. So, to answer your question, unfortunately no. This is not agreeable,” Tanya responded.
Do you think it’s fair to ask for Alex’s parents to pay the $30?
