After a week of sun and sand, I was shocked to discover my new neighbor had built an imposing fence on my property. As a single mom, I couldn’t let this slide.
Life as a single mom isn’t easy, but I’ve been making it work. My name is Catherine. I’m 40 years old, and I’ve been raising my two boys, Liam (10) and Chris (8), all by myself for the past year.
Their father and I parted ways when I caught him cheating. That’s a story for another time.
About two months ago, I bought a new house and moved in with my kids. It’s in a peaceful neighborhood near a beautiful forest. Everything seemed perfect—until I met my next-door neighbor, Jeffrey.
We’d been at odds since the beginning.
Our first interaction happened the day after we moved in. I heard a knock at the door and found Jeffrey standing there with a folder in his hand.
“Hello, neighbor! I’m Jeffrey. Welcome to the neighborhood!” he said cheerfully.
Then he opened the folder.
“The previous owners signed a contract allowing me to build a fence on the property line. I’ll be starting construction next week.”
I stared at him. “Excuse me? You’re not even asking my permission?”
“That contract was with the former owners,” I said firmly. “I’m the owner now, and I don’t want a fence blocking my view or sunlight.”
His face turned red.
“I need that fence for privacy!” he shouted. “I’ve been planning this for months!”
He stormed out without another word.
After that, he argued with me almost weekly. He wanted privacy for his fancy garden parties. I wanted sunlight and trees instead of wooden planks.
Then things got worse.
A few weeks later, I took my boys on a much-needed vacation. We spent a week at the beach, building sandcastles and relaxing.
When we returned, my heart sank.
Right in front of our windows—on my property—stood a tall wooden fence. Barely a foot away.
“What the hell?” I shouted.
Liam and Chris ran up behind me.
“Mom,” Liam said softly, “we can’t see the trees anymore.”
My heart broke.
I had two choices: take the legal route and wait, or handle it myself.
I chose the second option.
That night, I went to a pet store and bought the strongest animal attractant spray they had.
After dark, when the neighborhood was asleep, I poured the liquid along every inch of Jeffrey’s fence.
I repeated it for several nights.
Then I waited.
Soon, animals began visiting. Dogs, raccoons, foxes—one night, even a moose. They all seemed to find Jeffrey’s fence irresistible.
Every morning, Jeffrey came out with a bucket and scrub brush, furious and muttering. No matter how much he cleaned, the smell lingered.
Soon, the entire neighborhood noticed.
One afternoon, I overheard another neighbor complaining to him about the stench. Jeffrey looked humiliated.
The next morning, I woke to the sound of construction.
Jeffrey was supervising workers as they took the fence down.
I woke my boys immediately.
“Mom! We can see the trees again!” Chris shouted.
Liam hugged me tight. “You’re the best, Mom!”
Later that day, Jeffrey approached me while I was gardening.
“I owe you an apology,” he said. “I shouldn’t have built that fence without your permission.”
“You’re right,” I said.
“I’ve learned my lesson. I’ll respect your property from now on.”
“Apology accepted,” I replied. “Let’s start over.”
As he walked away, I felt proud. I had stood up for myself and my boys.
Sometimes life forces you to get creative when standing your ground—and sometimes, the lesson sticks.
Do you think I did the right thing?
