DEAR HARRIETTE: I was in the school parking lot, walking to my car. I was pretty far from my car, but I could still see it from a distance. As I was walking to my car, I saw the person who was parked next to me hit my door. It has a few scratches, but nothing too bad. This person just drove away, thinking nobody saw it. I do not know how to confront this person because he doesn’t know I saw him hit my car. But I know him. He is in one of my classes. I am mad that he thought he could get away with banging up my car and just driving off. How should I tell him? -- Damaged Car, Milwaukee
DEAR DAMAGED CAR: If you are sure of who hit your car, say something to him about it. Without a video or another eyewitness, you may not be able to get him to pay for damages, although you could try. But even if it’s just for posterity and honesty, you absolutely can call out this classmate for scratching up your door and then driving off. You can even speak to the principal about it, pointing out what you believe happened. This will likely embarrass the alleged offender. Depending on his personality and willingness to be honest, he may not ever admit any wrongdoing. What you will have done, though, is to stand up for yourself.
If, by chance, the parking lot has surveillance cameras, you may be able to prove your case. It is worth asking, even if the scrapes are insignificant, as long as you truly believe that this person is lying. Good luck!
(Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams. You can send questions to askharriette@harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.)