A shocking event involving a 12-year-old boy, his mother, and a neighbor who seemed nice, Mrs. Johnson, shook up a quiet suburban neighborhood. The things that happened would test the values of the community and teach them an important lesson about being fair, taking responsibility, and how powerful it is to stand up for what you believe in.
It started in a good way. The little boy, Ethan, was excited to get some extra cash by cutting Mrs. Johnson’s big grass. He worked hard for two days because he was looking forward to getting the $20 that they agreed to pay him. But when he went to get his pay, Mrs. Johnson was rude and told him that “effort was its own reward,” so she wouldn’t give him money for his hard work.
This clear lack of appreciation for Ethan’s work made his mother very angry. She didn’t believe a friend would take advantage of a child who was eager to work. She came up with a plan to make Mrs. Johnson feel bad about what she did because she wanted to teach her a lesson in responsibility.
Ethan’s mom planned a clever and funny way to get back at the person who hurt him with the help of a friend who ran a landscaping business. They took Mrs. Johnson’s prized hedges and cut them into silly shapes. To make things worse, they then dumped three truckloads of mulch on her road, blocking her car and making a scene that everyone in the neighborhood saw.
After Mrs. Johnson asked Ethan’s mother if she was responsible for the dirt, she was given a harsh reminder of what she had done. Mrs. Johnson gave Ethan the $20 she owed him without wanting to, because she felt embarrassed and cornered. Ethan was surprised and relieved by the result.
The event woke up people in the neighborhood and showed them how important it is to be fair and respectful to others. People in the area told each other stories about bad things Mrs. Johnson did and how she never asked Ethan for help again. That being said, Ethan and his mother came out of it with more confidence and a better sense of how important it is to stand up for what’s right.
