While I was away on vacation, my neighbor installed a fence around my home and covered my windows. He got just what he deserved 
After a wonderful week by the sea with her kids, Catherine had no idea that she was about to face a very unpleasant surprise.
Now, a big, solid wooden fence just in front of her windows completely destroyed the view. It discovered that the fence was constructed on her land while she was away, without her knowledge or approval, by Jeffrey, her new neighbor.
“Mom, where did the trees go?” Liam asked, staring out the window in wonder.
Catherine’s heart constricted with anger. The neighbor had clearly taken advantage of her absence to impose his own rules. But she wasn’t going to ignore that.
Prior to the trip, she had communicated with Jeffrey. He came over with the following papers:
I plan to build a fence along the property’s edge. The previous owners had already consented to it.
“But this is my house now,” Catherine replied firmly. – I disagree, too. There will be a barrier between our space and our light.
It seemed that Jeffrey pulled back. Apparently, though, he decided to do as he pleased. Now that the truth was in front of her, Catherine felt compelled to respond. She had a plan, too. One that would teach him.
That evening, after the kids had gone to bed, she visited a nearby pet store.
“Do you have anything that smells strong and attracts animals?” she asked the clerk.
“We have a very potent dog-training lure,” he added, intrigued.
Superb. “That’s exactly what I need,” Catherine said, already picturing the outcome.
For the next few evenings when the city slept, she used the lure along the neighbor’s fence. Soon, a range of creatures, including stray dogs and tiny scavengers, were drawn to the scent. Some left quite “fragrant” marks behind.
A few days later, Catherine heard Jeffrey shouting as he tried to clean the fence. But the smell had crept into the wood.
The neighbors started complaining. One day, Mrs. Thompson knocked on his door:
— The smell coming from your yard is terrible! What’s going on?
“I’m trying to fix it,” he whispered, clearly embarrassed.
Liam and Chris even began complaining about the odor. But Catherine knew that everything was going according to plan.
Before long, she could hear hammering and shouting—Jeffrey had begun tearing down the barricade. Victory!
As she was watering her garden, Jeffrey approached her, his eyes gloomy and his head downcast.
Catherine I was wrong. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have built without your permission.
With composure, she answered, “I accept your apology.” I hope you now understand that respecting others’ boundaries is essential to having positive neighborly relationships.
Since then, their relationship has been better. Now that the obstacle had been removed, Catherine showed that with a little resourcefulness and courage, you can recover what is properly yours even in the most unpleasant situations.
