Sick And Tired
Thomas was sick of his neighbor taking advantage of his generosity. This was the last time he would leave him out to dry. He looked over at his lawn and saw the dying grass from the weight of his neighbor's vehicle.
He knew he had to teach him a lesson. One that would make sure the rude neighbor never took advantage of him again.
Hatching A Plan
Thomas's lawn was a shadow of its former glory, and it was all because of one man. He couldn't believe the lack of compassion. He'd even asked him to stop, but he didn't care.
This left Thomas with only one choice left. He needed to hatch a plan that would ensure his neighbor would learn his lesson once and for all.
Brainstorming
He sat back in his chair, brainstorming what he could do, and then it came to him. He may have been retired for decades, but that didn't mean he could still put what he had learned to good use.
He had learned skills that most men would never even dream of. His neighbor would be shaking in his boots when he saw what the old man came up with.
Still Putting Up A Fight
Even though he was now in the final chapters of his life, that didn't mean that Thomas couldn't still put up a fight. Most people would expect the old man to lie down and give up without any problems.
But he wasn't going to be pushed around any longer. He normally had a lot of patience, but it had been worn thin by his neighbor.
Finding A Way
Thomas knew he'd have to find a way of putting an end to it all. He looked through his house, trying to find what he was looking for. The old man knew he had put it there somewhere.
He searched the back of his cupboard, where he stumbled across items lost to time. There it was, an old cardboard box. But it was what was inside that was going to end his neighbor's tyranny.
Going Too Far
Thomas opened it up and looked at his old nick-nacks. He had put them away when he had retired. He never thought he'd need such destructive items again, but he now had no choice.
He stared at the badge and the holster in the box among all the other items. Was he going too far? Then he thought about how much the neighbor had mocked him in broad daylight. He was desperate to get him off of his back.
Changing Everything
Thomas pulled the necessary items out of the box and mentally prepared himself for what he was about to do. He didn't want to cause anyone pain or suffering, but the neighbor had tormented him.
He was a man desperate to do anything to make it stop. But when the dust finally settled, Thomas would be wondering what on earth he had done.
Thomas Melcom
Thomas Melcom had made many enemies in his life. But he also liked to think that he had made peace with most of them. With most of his life behind him, most people wouldn't believe his stories as fact.
Thomas had his demons from conflict that few people would ever understand. But that also meant that people underestimated him - it was a fatal mistake.
Retiree
These days, Thomas was a retiree. He spent it modestly, living in a small but comfortable house in a quiet suburb. It was the same house that he had bought with his wife fifty years ago.
A lot of things happened in the home. He had raised a family and watched his children grow up. He even sometimes saw his grandkids from time to time in the house. It had too much history to give up, even after tragedy struck.
Tragedy
Holly, Thomas's wife, had passed away peacefully in her sleep five years prior. She was his life partner, and now she was gone. But Thomas knew he had to trudge on. He'd be reunited with her soon enough, so he tried to enjoy the time he had left on Earth.
The grizzled man had seen a lot of strife in his life. He'd been in numerous combat encounters and lived to tell the tale. But the death of his wife hurt more than any gunshots could have.
A Veteran
Thomas was an old veteran of the War. Not many people would think that a man in his eighties with a bad knee could have ever been imposing. But in his younger years, all he knew was violence.
For this reason, most people underestimated the old man. It was a mistake that his new neighbor was about to make.
New Neighbor
Just months ago, a new neighbor had moved in next to Thomas. He was a young man in his early thirties. Thomas had no illusions that he would get along with something more than half his age, but he would be civil.
Thomas didn't want to cause any conflict. But he had no idea that the neighbor was about to take advantage of him due to his appearance.
A Thump
One Friday evening, Thomas was enthralled in his usual routine. He was sitting on his couch watching old documentaries. He loved learning about history and other things.
But out of nowhere, he heard a loud thump that wasn't the sound of Oppenheimer's bombs on Thomas's documentary. He turned to see a silhouette outside of his window. What was going on?
A Request
Thomas slowly got up and shuffled toward his front door. He slowly pulled it open, ready for anything. But he saw his neighbor standing on his porch. Why? "Hi there, I'm having a party over at my place, and I was wondering if one of my friends could use your front lawn as parking? It'll only be for one night." The man said.
Thomas, not wanting to cause a scene, thought it over for a minute before saying, "Fine. If it's only for one night, there won't be any harm, will there?" The neighbor thanked him and left. But Thomas had no idea what he had just done.
One Time Too Many
The party raged all night, but Thomas didn't mind. He was retired after all and didn't have work in the morning. But the next morning, when he walked outside to check his mailbox, he saw something he couldn't believe.
The spot on his lawn where the car had parked shouldn't have been ruined after one night. But there was something concerning that he saw.
Oil
The grass may not have been trampled by the car, but he noticed something just as bad. There was oil all over the place. The car must have an oil leak. He knew he had to bring it up to his neighbor.
He walked over to his front door and knocked on the door. He waited a few moments and knocked again. Eventually, his neighbor opened it.
Hungover
The young man was clearly hungover from his party the previous night. He didn't look happy to have to answer the door, but Thomas had to tell him what had happened. "Your friend left oil on my grass. I didn't let you use it so that the grass could be ruined."
But that seemed to only set him off. "Well, what's a bit of oil gonna do?" He said before slamming the door in Thomas's face. But things were only the beginning.
Taking Advantage
Over the next few weeks, as if out of spite, every time Thomas's neighbor had a party, he'd have one of his guests park on his lawn without even asking his permission.
Thomas couldn't believe it. He had given the man an inch, and now he was taking a mile. What made things even worse was that no one would answer the door when he tried to talk to him.
Taking Its Toll
A less level-headed man might have taken a baseball bat to the friend's car, but Thomas wanted to settle things the right way, at least at first. He wanted to make sure no one got into proper trouble.
But as time passed and the car took its toll on the lawn, Thomas would feel more desperate to do anything that would stop the neighbor.
Ignoring Him
Thomas had no way of contacting his neighbor, and he wasn't about to go chasing him. He needed to think of other ways to ensure that he would stop. Desperation would soon overtake him.
The old man thought back to his previous employment. He had something that could fix things once and for all, but was it too far?
Teaching Him A Lesson
Thomas was sick of his neighbor taking advantage of his generosity. This was the last time he would leave him out to dry. He looked over at his lawn and saw the dying grass from the weight of his neighbor's vehicle.
He knew he had to teach him a lesson. One that would make sure the rude neighbor never took advantage of him again.
He Didn't Care
Thomas's lawn was a shadow of its former glory, and it was all because of one man. He couldn't believe the lack of compassion. He'd even asked him to stop, but he didn't care.
This left Thomas with only one choice left. He needed to hatch a plan that would ensure his neighbor would learn his lesson once and for all.
Shaking In His Boots
He sat back in his chair, brainstorming what he could do, and then it came to him. He may have been retired for decades, but that didn't mean he could still put what he had learned to good use.
He had learned skills that most men would never even dream of. His neighbor would be shaking in his boots when he saw what the old man came up with.
Worn Thin
Even though he was now in the final chapters of his life, that didn't mean that Thomas couldn't still put up a fight. Most people would expect the old man to lie down and give up without any problems.
But he wasn't going to be pushed around any longer. He normally had a lot of patience, but it had been worn thin by his neighbor.
Putting An End To It All
Thomas knew he'd have to find a way of putting an end to it all. He looked through his house, trying to find what he was looking for. The old man knew he had put it there somewhere.
He searched the back of his cupboard, where he stumbled across items lost to time. There it was, an old cardboard box. But it was what was inside that was going to end his neighbor's tyranny.
Old Nick Nacks
Thomas opened it up and looked at his old nick-nacks. He had put them away when he had retired. He never thought he'd need such destructive items again, but he now had no choice.
He stared at the badge and the holster in the box among all the other items. Was he going too far? Then he thought about how much the neighbor had mocked him in broad daylight. He was desperate to get him off of his back.
Box Of Items
Thomas pulled the necessary items out of the box and mentally prepared himself for what he was about to do. He didn't want to cause anyone pain or suffering, but the neighbor had tormented him.
He was a man desperate to do anything to make it stop. But when the dust finally settled, Thomas would be wondering what on earth he had done.
Calling A Number
Inside the box, Thomas found an old notebook with a list of numbers on it. He found the one he wanted and pulled out his phone. It ran for a moment before the line connected, and someone answered.
"Hi. It's Thomas. I need a favor. Yeah, someone's been causing me a lot of trouble, and I need them taken care of.
Serving The Neighbor
It took a week of preparation, but after learning all of the facts, the man Thomas had called organized everything. He had a man walk up to the neighbor's house and knock on the door.
Seeing that it wasn't Thomas, the man answered it willingly, but that was a grave mistake. The man at the door confirmed who he was and then handed him a folder before leaving.
Sued
Thomas watched from his window as the man opened up the package and saw what was inside. He had been served and was being sued by Thomas for parking on his lawn.
The evidence was all there. But he decided to settle out of court. The neighbor apologized and offered to replace the part that had been ruined. This was good enough for Thomas. He was glad that he scared the man into submission. He would never have problems with him again.