I continued printing the images of the Jacobs having fun in my pool, adding bold letters at the bottom: Caution! Intruders in the area! Check your backyards!
“Oh, Stella,” Nathan chuckled. “I wonder how this will turn out.”
Early the next morning, we walked around the neighborhood, taping the posters to mailboxes and streetlights. Soon, the neighborhood buzzed with gossip.
By midday, the Jacobs were at my door, furious.
Mrs. Jacobs waved a poster in my face. “What is this?”
I smiled. “A warning about trespassers. Seemed necessary.”
“You need to take these down now!” she shouted.
“Or what?” I crossed my arms. “You’ll call the cops on me again?”
She struggled for words, but Mr. Jacobs intervened.
“You’ve embarrassed us,” he said.
“No, you embarrassed yourselves by trespassing,” I retorted.
Mrs. Jacobs jabbed a finger at my chest. “If you don’t take those down, I will…”
“You’ll what?” I interrupted, grabbing my phone. “Let’s see.”
I dialed 911. Their shocked expressions were priceless.
“911, what’s your emergency?” the operator asked.
“I need to report trespassing,” I said, glaring at the Jacobs. “I have video evidence.”
Mrs. Jacobs went pale. “Stella, you wouldn’t dare.”
“Watch me,” I said.
When the police arrived, I showed them the footage. The Jacobs tried to defend themselves, but the evidence was clear. They had no right to use my pool.
The officer nodded. “You can press charges if you want.”
“No, a warning is enough for now,” I said. “But if it happens again, I will press charges.”
The officer took notes. “Understood. We’ll file a report.”
As the police left, Mrs. Jacobs glared at me. “You’ll regret this.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Stay off my property.”
They stormed off, and I felt vindicated. The Jacobs wouldn’t mess with me again, and the neighborhood would remember this incident.
Later that evening, I sat by my pool, enjoying the peace and quiet. A few days later, my elderly neighbor, Mrs. Thompson, stopped by as I was gardening.
Hello, dear,” she said. “I heard about the Jacobs. Is everything alright?”
I wiped my brow. “Yes, Mrs. Thompson. I just needed to set some boundaries.”
She nodded knowingly. “You did the right thing. It’s important to stand up for yourself. I’ll bring you some scones.”
What would you have done in my situation?
