He is a great guy; he always checks that the rain gutters are clean and the lawn is cut. “You don’t need to be concerned about this, Mom,” he says in his gentle and confident voice. I understand that he has a family and a busy job, so I just nod and smile. I don’t complain often because I don’t want to annoy him.The house is quiet now, just like it has been since Harold passed away. However, it is my safe place, filled with memories and love. It’s nice to be quiet, with a cozy blanket over me. That’s how it was, at least. Some people recently moved in next to our house. A young couple, lively and full of energy. At the beginning, it didn’t bother me. Over time, I have seen many people come and leave. These neighbors are different from the rest. One morning, as I was drinking tea by the window, I saw something that made me very sad. In the middle of my yard, there was a big, shiny pickup truck parked. The grass was damaged by deep tire marks. My beautiful, perfect lawn was ruined. Feeling confused and angry, I took my cane and walked outside unsteadily. When I got closer, the partner came out. Her tall height, attractive appearance, and arrogant attitude made me very angry. I said, trying not to stumble over my words, “Sorry.”Your truck is parked on my lawn. Could you please move it? “There are only two locations and three vehicles.” “What’s the problem if you don’t have a car?” My jaw tightened. “I am upset because this is my yard,” I commented. I am happy about it. “Can you please move your truck?” She raised her shoulders, as if I were a minor bother. She walked away without saying anything else. “I will inform my husband,” she said. Feeling frustrated, I watched her leave. I have always tried to be friendly and polite to others. But this was too much. Thinking it would only happen once, I went back inside. The truck came back the next day. Even the marks left by the tires before had not vanished yet. I was very angry. Wanting to be more assertive, I knocked on their door. The husband spoke, a large man who always looked unhappy.”I noticed your truck is parked on my grass once more,” I said, trying to hide the fear in my voice. He looked at me with annoyance. “We will park wherever necessary,” he said in a rough tone. “You don’t have a car and you are by yourself.” “What effect does it have?” I was surprised by how mean he looked. “I care,” I replied, my voice shaking with anger. “This belongs to me, and you are not allowed to use it.” He closed the door on me with a grunt. I decided when I was in bed that night. I would never tell Tom. He had too much work to do. But as Harold would have wanted, I found a way to protect my lawn.The next day, I was looking for a small rake in the garage when I saw an old, dusty container hidden in a high place. I had forgotten about that container for many years. It belonged to Harold and was filled with various items from his different projects. I felt how heavy it was as I held it, then I brought it down and opened the top. I found many small, sharp tacks inside. Harold’s skillful hands were clearly visible as he carefully organized and placed them in a container for a project he never completed. I was holding one with my fingers when I suddenly got an idea. Those small nails were almost impossible to see, especially when spread out on the surface. I would really surprise those annoying neighbors if I put some nails where the car usually parks. I waited until everything was quiet and dark that night. I quietly left the house, holding the container under my arm. The soft sound of leaves moving was the only thing I could hear while the fresh night air touched my skin. I felt both anxious and determined as I placed the tacks evenly where the truck usually parks. The small blades mixed with the grass, shining gently in the moonlight. It was perfect.I quickly went back inside, feeling my heart beating fast. Even though I knew it wasn’t the smartest choice, I wasn’t going to allow them to ruin my lawn without resisting.The next morning, as I was making tea in the kitchen, I heard a loud sound of air coming out of tires. Feeling nervous, I set my cup down and went to the window. The big, shiny truck of the neighbor was parked there, with four tires that had lost air. I couldn’t help but smile. It was a success. The man was next to the truck, staring at the flat tires with a surprised and angry expression on his face. When he understood what had occurred, he got even angrier and kicked one of the tires. Then he turned around and looked at my home. When I stepped back from the window, my heart started beating faster. He quickly started hitting my door harder and angrier each time.I opened the door, and he said, “You did this, didn’t you, you old woman!” He had his hands clenched into fists, and his face was red. “You will have to compensate for this!” Even though my hands were shaking a little, I kept speaking confidently. “You parked on my grass,” I said firmly. “You ignored me when I told you to stop.” This belongs to me. “You didn’t have the authority!” he said angrily as he moved closer. “You will be sorry for this!”But I was ready. Just like Harold would have, I called the police right away when I heard the tires screech. The man was very angry, and I stayed where I was as the atmosphere in the room became more tense. But then I heard sirens far away. The police arrived quickly, and two officers got out of their car and went to the scene. The man looked at them and angrily pointed at me. “She did this!” She crashed my car. The officer stopped him by raising his hand. He looked at me and asked, “Ma’am, can you tell me what happened?”I told them everything, including my choice to protect my property when they refused to stop parking on my lawn. While I talked, the police officers listened and nodded, looking back and forth between the man, me, and the tires that were flat.A short time later, one of the police officers walked up to the truck and looked at the tire tracks and the scattered tacks left behind. The officer looked at the man and said, “It seems like you’ve been parking on her grass.” “That is invading.” She had the right to protect her things, based on what we can see here. The police officer continued speaking, and the man looked sad. “You will be accused of causing damage to property, entering without permission, and bothering others.” I recommend that you stay away from her yard in the future.The man stuttered, but he knew he was wrong. The authorities gave him a ticket, and I saw him give up, looking sad. It didn’t matter that I could still see the anger in his eyes. He decided he would never park in my yard again.The neighbors stayed away after that day. They would not make eye contact with me when they saw me, and their vehicle never drove on my grass after that. It will take a while for my grass to get better, but I am sure it will. Tom didn’t need to know all of this. I felt proud of myself because I did it by myself.I drank my tea on my porch as the sun went down that evening. The grass was gently illuminated by a cozy light, and I felt relaxed. I had protected my home, my pride, and the memories I shared with Harold in this place.
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