I thought I was keeping the peace.
What I was really doing was teaching Sheldon that I would tolerate anything.
The harassment grew slowly.
He began walking onto my driveway to inspect things.
I should have put a stop to it then.
Instead, I told him not to touch my things again and went inside.
For a few weeks, he left me alone.
Then came Saturday.
I had worked late on Friday and planned to spend the morning doing absolutely nothing.
I made coffee, put on sweatpants, and walked toward the front room.
The moment I looked out the window, I stopped.
Sheldon's black SUV was sitting in the middle of my front lawn.
He had driven across the curb, over the edge of my flower bed, and parked between my vegetable garden and the walkway.
The tires had cut deep tracks through the grass I had spent months repairing.
I nearly dropped my mug.
There was plenty of room on the street.
His driveway was empty. Nothing blocked his house.
He had no reason to park there.
Except to prove that he could.
I set my coffee down and walked outside.
The ground was still damp from three days of rain.
Every step made the soil sink slightly under my shoes.
I went straight to Sheldon's house and rang the bell.
He opened the door almost immediately.
He was smiling.
That smile told me everything.
"Move your car," I said.
He leaned against the doorframe.
"Good morning to you too."
"Your SUV is on my lawn."
"I know where it is."
"Then move it."
He looked past me toward the vehicle.
"I had some work being done in my driveway."
I turned and looked.
His driveway was empty and perfectly clear.
"No, you didn't."
He smiled wider.
"Plans changed."
"There is space on the street."
"I didn't want it scratched."
"So you parked on my property and damaged my lawn?"
"It is a little grass, Amanda."
"You drove over my flower bed."
"The flowers will grow back."
I stared at him.
For months, this man had complained about my porch light, my recycling, and the height of my hedges.
Now he had driven a two-ton SUV across my lawn and wanted me to accept it.
"Move it now," I said.
He laughed just loud enough to make sure I knew he was enjoying himself.
"Relax," he said. "I promise I won't do it again."
