My Parents Gifted Me a Car with a Hidden Dash Cam to Spy on Me – I Taught Them a Lesson about Privacy
My parents thought they were so clever, gifting me a car with a hidden dash cam to keep tabs on my every move. Little did they know, I was about to turn their surveillance into a hilarious prank that would teach them a valuable lesson about trust and privacy.
I have a helicopter mom and a dad who’s just happy to go along with whatever she says. It’s been this way my whole life: every move scrutinized and every decision questioned.
Now, at 26, I should have a bit more freedom, right? When they told me they were gifting me their old car since they got a new one, I thought maybe, just maybe, they were finally starting to trust me.
Now, at 26, I should have a bit more freedom, right? When they told me they were gifting me their old car since they got a new one, I thought maybe, just maybe, they were finally starting to trust me.
I was ecstatic!
A vintage white car | Source: Pexels
“Surprise!” my mom squealed as she handed me the keys. “We wanted to make sure you’re safe on the road with a sensible car.”
My dad just stood there, smiling and nodding.
I was so grateful, even when we had to arrange a bunch of paperwork for the registration and insurance so that the car would be in my name officially.
It was a hassle, but I thought it was so worth it as I slid into the driver’s seat for the first time after all the legalities were done.
A woman inside a vintage white car | Source: Midjourney
My mother had a big smile on her face, and my dad was his quiet, simple self as they watched me arrange the seat, start the engine, and put on my seat belt.
I was so ready to take my “new” car for a spin when something caught my eye.
It was a weird little bulge on the dash. I leaned in for a closer look and my heart sank. It was a dash cam. And not just any dash cam, but one of those sneaky hidden ones.
The dashboard of a vintage car | Source: Pexels
I could practically hear my mom’s voice in my head if I dared to complain about it: “It’s for your good, honey.”
So, I acted like I hadn’t seen it, but inside, I was fuming.
I gulped, waved my parents goodbye, and drove off straight to my apartment.
That night, as I lay in bed staring at the ceiling, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being violated.
A woman in bed looking at the ceiling | Source: Midjourney
How could they do this to me?
After fuming in bed for some time and doom-scrolling on TikTok, I finally came up with a plan: if they wanted to spy on me, I would give them a show they wouldn’t forget.
So, although it was 3 a.m., I called my best friend, Alex.
“Dude, you won’t believe what my parents did,” I said as soon as he picked up.
A woman in bed calling someone | Source: Midjourney
“What now?” he asked, already sighing. He knew the drill with my folks.
I told him about the car and the hidden dash cam.
“That’s insane!” he exclaimed. “But you know your mom, always trying to protect you from the big bad world.”
“Yeah, well, I’m done with it,” I said. “I’m a grown woman! I’m going to teach them a lesson about trust and privacy.”
A woman in bed calling someone | Source: Midjourney
“Oh, this I’ve got to hear,” Alex said, and I could almost see him rubbing his hands like a villain.
So, I laid out my plan, and he was all in, although he had several suggestions of his own that would be perfect.
The following afternoon, I picked up Alex, and we headed out in my “new” car. I tried my best not to look at the dashcam to avoid giving anything away.
A man and a woman in a vintage car | Source: Pexels
But I was smirking the entire time Alex and I drove to our first destination: Inky’s Tattoos. This was going to be fun because, among the tattoo parlors in our town, this one had a horrible reputation.
I.e.: hygiene issues and questionable clients.
I parked the car, and Alex and I skipped inside. The walls were plastered with designs I would never actually consider: skulls, dragons, and scantily clad women.
They were perfect for the role I was about to play.
Tattoo parlor | Source: Unsplash
“Hey, man, we’re looking to get some ink,” I said to the heavily tattooed guy behind the counter. He grunted in response, his eyes scanning us up and down.
“You?” he frowned, knowing I didn’t fit the part, so I had to tell him the truth: we wanted temporary tattoos. After chuckling a bit, he told us to pick our poison and sat us down.
I chose a giant skull with flames for my bicep, a snake wrapped around a dagger for my forearm, and a barbed wire band around my ankle.
Tattoo designs | Source: Unsplash
Alex opted for a full sleeve of tribal symbols, which I knew would send my mom into a tizzy.
Luckily, she didn’t know enough about this industry to understand that these intricate designs would take days if they were permanent tattoos.