Brian has spent over ten years living in peace and quiet in his neighborhood—until Tim moves in next door and becomes a constant nuisance. After their first disagreement, Tim retaliates by spray-painting an insult on Brian’s lawn. But not one to be outdone, Brian decides to teach Tim a lesson…I’ve lived in this quiet neighborhood for almost ten years. It’s the kind of place where lawns are neat, people wave as they pass, children smile and laugh, and things stay peaceful—until Tim moved in next door.At first, he seemed fine. Friendly enough. Tim introduced himself, we exchanged a few pleasantries, and I thought we’d get along just fine. “I’m Tim,” he said. “The wife and I just moved in. We enjoyed the city life for a while, but Opal decided that we needed a quiet place.” “I’m Brian,” I said, genuinely interested in him. “I’ve lived here forever with my family. If you’re looking for peace, you’ve come to the right place.”
“I’ve always wanted a place where the neighbors and I could just sit back and have a barbecue and a beer,” Tim laughed. “I look forward to it!” I said, walking down the front porch with him. I was getting ready to do a grocery run. Everything was fine, and over the next two weeks, I saw Tim often as he settled into his new home, carrying boxes.Then, one afternoon, he knocked on my door and asked if he could use my driveway while his was being repaved. “The guys said that it would take about two days, three days at most. I can’t leave the truck on the side of the road, it’s a little too big.” “I’m sorry, bud,” I said. “Kelsey and I have two cars, and the kids have their own. You know teenagers, they’re always coming and going.”
“Yeah, I get that, Brian, but it’s just for a few days. No more.””I’m sorry,” I said. “It’s nothing personal, Tim, it’s just practical.” He huffed away from the door and stomped down the driveway.I thought that I was fair with what I did: I was open and honest with Tim, and there shouldn’t have been any hard feelings, right? I was wrong.The next morning, after I loaded the dishwasher, I was ready to get to work. I stepped outside, enjoying the morning sun for a few minutes before I saw Tim’s truck parked halfway into my driveway, blocking me in. “Is this guy serious?” I muttered under my breath. The kids had to get to school, Kelsey would leave shortly too. I was already running late, and this guy’s actions had just made me mad. I mean, we had spoken about this. I had told him how I felt about it.
