Lindsey’s introductory cookies came with an unwelcome side of HOA regulations. “One car per driveway,” she insisted, despite our rental’s spacious concrete. We assumed she’d drop it – until the tow trucks came before sunrise days later. There stood Lindsey in her robe, radiating petty victory as our cars were hauled away. That’s when we showed her the tiny decal she’d missed.
The next morning’s visitor wasn’t another nosy neighbor but a federal agent explaining the $25,000 cost of interfering with government vehicles. Watching Lindsey’s face crumple was almost as satisfying as the sound of her coffee mug hitting the porch. We moved out soon after, leaving her to explain to the HOA why the rules didn’t apply to federal operations. Some lessons, like some cookies, are best served with a side of humble pie.
