My new neighbor’s truck blocked my driveway for weeks, forcing me into impossible parking maneuvers every morning. I’d asked him nicely and explained the problem. But he just laughed and told me to learn how to drive.
When I finally snapped and called the HOA, karma showed up with a lasting lesson. I’m Laura, I’m 32, and I’ve been living on Pemberly Lane for three years now. It’s one of those neighborhoods where every house looks like it stepped out of a home-improvement show.
It’s the kind of place where people smile and wave when you drive by but gossip behind your back. It was peaceful… until Rick moved in next door six months ago.
I remember the day he arrived with that enormous black pickup truck that roared down our quiet street like it was auditioning for a monster truck rally. Its tires were so big and the engine rumbled loud enough to set off car alarms. I was weeding my flower beds when he pulled into the driveway next to mine.
I stood up, wiped my hands on my jeans, and waved. He glanced at me, gave a quick nod, and went back to unloading boxes. He wasn’t the friendliest guy, but moving is stressful.
I got it. Within a week, though, I started noticing things. His grass grew wild while everyone else’s looked like golf courses.
His garbage cans lived permanently at the curb, overflowing with trash. And worst of all, he started parking that beast of a truck right up against my driveway. The first morning it happened, I thought it was a mistake.
His rear tires hung about two feet over my driveway apron, which meant I had to back out at this ridiculous angle to avoid hitting his bumper. It took me five tries and a lot of careful maneuvering. The next morning, same thing.
And the morning after that. I have to leave for work at 7:30 a.m. every day.
My job as a marketing coordinator doesn’t care if my neighbor is inconsiderate. So every single morning, I’d start my car, take a deep breath, and perform this complicated circus just to get onto the street. I’d turn the wheel hard, ease back inch by inch, and pray I don’t scrape Rick’s truck or destroy my hedge.
However, my poor hedge paid the price. It went from being my pride and joy to looking like something had attacked it with hedge trimmers while blindfolded. Branches bent at weird angles.
Leaves were scraped off. One entire side was lopsided from my side mirror brushing against it every morning. After two weeks of this, I decided to have a word with Rick.
It was a Tuesday morning. I caught Rick outside with his leaf blower, sending leaves directly into the street where they’d become someone else’s problem. I walked over, trying to look friendly instead of frustrated.
“Hey, Rick!” I called out over the noise. He glanced at me but didn’t turn off the blower. “Could you maybe park a little further up the street?
It’s really hard for me to get out when your truck’s that close.”
He finally shut off the blower, but the look on his face wasn’t encouraging. “I’m parked fine,” he said, shrugging. “I’m still on my property.
See that line? I’m not over it.”
“I know, but your back tires hang into my driveway. I can barely get out without hitting something.”
He smiled.
Not a friendly smile. More like the kind you give someone when you think they’re being ridiculous. “There’s plenty of room, Laura.
You just need to learn how to turn your wheel better!”
“I know how to drive. Your truck’s just…”
“It’s not my problem if you can’t handle a simple parking situation,” he interrupted, then fired up the leaf blower again. The conversation was over.
I walked back to my house, hands clenched, trying to convince myself that maybe he’d think about it. Maybe tomorrow would be different. It wasn’t.
The next morning, his truck sat in the exact same spot. I went through the monotonous routine: Deep breath. Start the car.
Turn the wheel hard. Back out slowly. Hear the scrape of branches against my mirror.
This became my life. Every. Single.
Morning. I started setting my alarm earlier just to give myself enough time for the parking gymnastics. My coworkers asked why I looked so stressed before 9 a.m.
How do you explain that your neighbor’s slowly driving you insane with his parking habits? By the third week, I’d developed this Pavlovian response. I’d wake up, remember Rick’s truck, and feel my blood pressure spike before I’d even had coffee.
It wasn’t just about the parking anymore. It was about disrespect and his casual dismissal. Then came the rainy morning that changed everything.
I’d overslept. My alarm didn’t go off, or maybe I’d accidentally turned it off in my sleep. Either way, I woke up at 6:50 a.m., which gave me exactly 40 minutes to get ready and drive downtown for a meeting.
I threw on my clothes, grabbed my bag, and ran to my car. It was still dark outside, rain coming down in sheets. I couldn’t see much, but I knew the drill by now.
Start the car. Turn the wheel. Back out slowly.
Except I was rushing. I was stressed and miscalculated, and I bumped into something. The crunch was sickening.
I’d backed straight into my mailbox. The wooden post split down the middle, and when I got out to look, my bumper had a long, deep scratch running across it. I sat back in the driver’s seat, rain soaking through my clothes, and felt tears of frustration burning in my eyes.
This was it. This was my breaking point. That evening, I didn’t bother changing out of my work clothes.
The story doesn’t end here — it continues on the next page.
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