By four, the wheels had sunk several inches into the softened ground.
At six, the sound of an engine woke me.
I put on my robe and walked to the front window.
Sheldon was sitting behind the wheel, attempting to drive away.
The front tires spun uselessly.
Mud flew out behind them.
The SUV managed to move less than a foot before sinking even deeper.
He switched off the engine, climbed out, and examined the buried wheels.
Then he turned toward my house.
I went to make coffee.
Five minutes later, someone began pounding on my door.
I allowed Sheldon to knock twice more before I opened it.
His face was bright red.
“What did you do?”
I glanced past him toward the lawn.
“Good morning.”
“You flooded the lawn.”
“I watered my grass.”
“You trapped my car.”
“No, Sheldon. You parked your car on wet soil.”
“You did this on purpose.”
I leaned casually against the doorframe, copying the exact posture he had used the previous morning.
“Relax. It’s just a car.”
His mouth opened, but no sound came out.
The words struck him exactly as I had intended.
He pointed angrily toward the lawn.
“You caused this.”
“I have video of you driving onto my property. I also have photos of the damage before the sprinklers ran.”
His expression changed instantly.
He had not anticipated that I would possess proof.
“You recorded me?”
“My security camera records my yard.”
His eyes moved toward the small camera mounted above the garage.
When he spoke again, his voice was quieter.
“You need to fix this.”
“No. You need to call a tow company.”
For several seconds, he remained there breathing heavily.
At last, he turned around and walked away.
The first tow truck arrived shortly after eight.
The driver was a broad, stocky man named Luis.
He examined the SUV, crouched beside the rear wheels, and circled the lawn twice.
Sheldon stayed close behind him.
“Just pull it out,” Sheldon said.
Luis shook his head.
“If I hook from the street and drag it straight, I may tear the bumper or damage the undercarriage. The mud is holding it.”
“Then what do you suggest?”
“I need the recovery truck with a winch and ground mats.”
“How much will that cost?”
Luis quoted the price.
Sheldon responded with a curse.
By that point, several neighbors had gathered outside.
No one had invited them.
They had simply seen the tow truck and wandered over carrying coffee.
Frank watched from the end of his driveway.
Lawson stood on her porch.
A few minutes later, Elise appeared with a folder under her arm.
Sheldon noticed her and scowled.
“What are you doing here?”
“I received a complaint,” she said.
“Of course you did.”
Elise studied the SUV.
“Did you park this vehicle on Amanda’s property?”
“It was temporary.”
“That was not my question.”
Sheldon glanced toward me.
“Yes.”
Elise opened the folder.
“The association rules prohibit driving or parking on another owner’s lot without permission. The complaint includes video.”
“She turned the lawn into a swamp.”
Elise looked down at the saturated soil.
“The weather report shows three days of rain before you parked there.”
“She ran sprinklers all night.”
“On her own property.”
Sheldon looked around as though expecting someone to defend him.
