Some people are so full of themselves, they won’t listen even when you’re trying to help.

What would you do if someone ignored every warning, insisted they knew better, and made a scene just to show off? Would you keep trying to explain the dangers? Or would you let them learn the hard way?

In today’s story, a group of teens find themselves in this very situation and decide there’s no reasoning with this guy. Here’s what happened.

The Rope Swing

Our rural wooded town had a lake, and people could park and walk a short trail to where there was a rope swing on the edge of the lake. It was a popular spot for teens and mostly younger adults to swim and hang out in the hot summer.

One day, a few guys from the city showed up after being told about the place.

One of them was very obnoxious, loud, and conceited. He openly hit on the girls there and was bringing all sorts of attention to himself. We were less than impressed, but no one started up with him. His buddies were well-behaved.

In due course, he decided it was time for him to have a turn on the swing and made sure the girls knew by telling them to watch and see how it was done.

The guy wouldn’t listen to anyone.

We repeatedly tried to tell him what we told everyone who was a new visitor there. To make absolutely sure to jump as soon as the swing finished its outward arc and stopped for a second before it swung back.

We also told him the water was shallow near the shore, and a late or early jump risked injury.

He kept interrupting anyone who was giving him the explanation. His ego kept him going, and he told us not to tell him what to do. He knew what he was doing because he saw everyone else and didn’t need us to act like he didn’t know what he was doing.

So we said, “OK. Do it your way.”

If only he had jumped sooner.

He said, “Good.” He also amazingly told the girls, curious to see Romeo in action, “Now watch this…”

He swung out fine, but when the rope stopped at its outermost point, he failed to jump and hung on as the rope swung back.

He couldn’t see where he was going since his back was facing the shore, which was a bunch of tree roots, dirt, and large rocks.

He panicked and let go just as he got near the edge of the water, crashing into the less-than-soft roots and rocks, bouncing and falling into two feet of water, crumpled up and mostly submerged.

His friends had to help him up.

He managed to get out and crawl up on shore.

He got up but was limping and bleeding from his legs as the entire crowd that gathered for this spectacle looked on in utter silence. He and his friends were also in complete silence as they propped him up and escorted him back to the car.

The trail wasn’t exactly smooth, so it was going to be a very difficult walk.

Everyone spared him from ridicule until after they left the scene. It was like we all knew Romeo was totally humiliated, and taunting him was overkill. The staring of a crowd of about two dozen in all his defeat was more than enough punishment.

Wow! That could’ve gone a much different direction.

Let’s see how the readers over at Reddit relate to this story.

It must’ve been punishment indeed!

This person would’ve rubbed it in.

Ouch, but sounds like they got lucky.

This kid became the butt of every joke.

Next time, he’ll listen.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a rude customer who got exactly what they wanted in their pizza.