{"id":5808,"date":"2025-01-02T14:27:32","date_gmt":"2025-01-02T14:27:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/?p=5808"},"modified":"2025-01-02T14:27:34","modified_gmt":"2025-01-02T14:27:34","slug":"my-neighbor-doused-my-car-with-water-in-freezing-weather-he-regretted-it-that-same-night","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/archives\/5808","title":{"rendered":"My Neighbor Doused My Car With Water In Freezing Weather \u2013 He Regretted It That Same Night."},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

When my wealthy neighbor deemed my cherished old sedan an \u201ceyesore,\u201d he took matters into his own hands and froze my car solid overnight. But that same night, karma taught him a harsh lesson.\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n\n\n\n\n
\n
\n\n
\n

I never thought I\u2019d end up in a neighborhood where every driveway sports at least one shiny German import and landscapers show up like clockwork every Thursday morning.\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"Houses\n\n

Houses in a nice neighborhood\n\n\n

\n

But here I was, thanks to my company\u2019s corporate housing program, feeling like the poster child for imposter syndrome with my dad\u2019s beat-up 1989 sedan.\n\n

\n

That car was everything to me. Every ding and scratch told a story, like the small dent in the rear bumper from when Dad taught me to parallel park, or the tiny crack in the dashboard where he used to tap his fingers along to Johnny Cash.\n\n

\n

After Dad passed, keeping that car running became my way of keeping his memory alive.\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\"An\n\n

An old sedan\n\n\n

\n

I was out there one crisp fall morning, giving the old girl her weekly wash, when I heard the crunch of expensive shoes on fallen leaves.\n\n

\n

\u201cExcuse me, miss\u201d The voice dripped with the kind of entitled condescension you can only perfect through years of country club memberships.\n\n

\n

I turned around, soap suds dripping from my hands, to find my neighbor Tom, looking like he\u2019d just stepped out of a catalog for overpriced golf wear. His perfectly styled hair didn\u2019t move an inch in the morning breeze.\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A man with a stern expression\n\n\n

\n

\u201cYou can call me Lila.\u201d I kept scrubbing at a particularly stubborn bird dropping.\n\n

\n

\u201cRight.\u201d His jaw tightened slightly. \u201cLook, I need to talk to you about this\u2026\u201d He gestured at my car with obvious distaste, his signet ring catching the morning light. \u201cThis vehicle situation.\u201d\n\n

\n

I straightened up, crossing my arms. \u201cVehicle situation?\u201d\n\n

\n

\u201cIt\u2019s an eyesore.\u201d He didn\u2019t even try to soften the blow.\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A man pointing his finger\n\n\n

\n

\u201cPeople move to this neighborhood for a certain\u2026 aesthetic and quality of life. And your car, well, it\u2019s destroying property values. Not to mention the environmental impact \u2014 do you have any idea what kind of pollutants that ancient engine is spewing? My children play outside!\u201d\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n

I couldn\u2019t help but laugh. The sound echoed off the perfectly maintained facades of our matching houses.\n\n

\n

\u201cYour kids play outside? Since when? The only time I see them is when they\u2019re being shuttled between your house and your massive SUV. Which, by the way, probably burns more fuel in a week than my car does in a month.\u201d\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A woman talking to someone\n\n\n

\n

His face reddened, the color creeping up from his starched collar. \u201cThat\u2019s not the point. The point is that you need to get rid of this junk heap. It doesn\u2019t belong here, and frankly\u2014\u201d he lowered his voice conspiratorially, \u201c\u2014neither do you.\u201d\n\n

\n

\u201cOh, really?\u201d I cocked my head, feeling my father\u2019s stubborn streak rising in me. The same stubbornness that had helped him build his auto repair shop from nothing. \u201cAre you offering to buy me a new car?\u201d\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n

\u201cOf course not, but if you don\u2019t get rid of it within a week,\u201d he said, jaw clenched, \u201cI\u2019ll make sure you have to replace it. This isn\u2019t the kind of neighborhood where we tolerate\u2026 diminishing standards.\u201d\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"An\n\n

An angry man\n\n\n

\n

I waved my soapy sponge at him, sending a spray of bubbles his way. He jumped back like I\u2019d thrown acid. \u201cWas that a threat, Tom? Because it sounded an awful lot like a threat.\u201d\n\n

\n

He turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving me wondering what kind of person actually talks like that in real life.\n\n

\n

I finished washing my old car and went inside. I didn\u2019t think much about the conversation until a week later when I found out exactly what kind of person Tom was.\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A surprised woman\n\n\n

\n

The morning air bit at my face as I stepped outside, travel mug of coffee in hand, ready for work. The sunrise was painting the sky in shades of pink and gold, but I stopped dead in my tracks, nearly dropping my coffee.\n\n

\n

My car was completely encased in ice; thick, clear ice that looked nothing like natural frost.\n\n

\n

It was as if someone had spent hours spraying it with a hose in the freezing night air.\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A car covered in ice\n\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n

The morning light refracted through the frozen shell, creating tiny rainbows that would have been beautiful if they weren\u2019t so infuriating.\n\n

\n

\u201cCareful,\u201d came Tom\u2019s voice from his porch next door. He was lounging in an Adirondack chair, sipping his morning coffee with a smile that made me want to throw something. His breath made little clouds in the cold air. \u201cLooks like it\u2019s raining every night! Hope you\u2019ve got a good scraper.\u201d\n\n

\n

I stormed over to his porch, my boots leaving angry prints on his perfect lawn. \u201cAre you serious right now? This is how you handle things? What are you, twelve?\u201d\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A woman gesturing to her frozen car\n\n\n

\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure I don\u2019t know what you mean.\u201d His smug smile never wavered. \u201cMother Nature can be so unpredictable. Especially in this neighborhood.\u201d\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n

\u201cMother Nature doesn\u2019t target single cars, Tom.\u201d My hands were shaking with anger. \u201cThis is harassment. And pretty childish harassment at that.\u201d\n\n

\n

\u201cProve it.\u201d He took another sip of coffee, the steam curling around his face like a villain\u2019s smokescreen. \u201cOr better yet, take the hint and get rid of that heap, or move. I\u2019m sure there\u2019s a nice apartment complex somewhere that would be more\u2026 suitable for your situation.\u201d\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A smirking man\n\n\n

\n

I spent the next three hours chipping away at the ice, my hands going numb despite my gloves. The whole time, I plotted elaborate revenge scenarios, each more ridiculous than the last.\n\n

\n

But Dad\u2019s voice echoed in my memory: \u201cThe best revenge is living well, kiddo. And keeping your hands clean means you never have to look over your shoulder.\u201d\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n

That night, a strange whooshing sound jolted me awake. At first, I thought it was just the wind, but there was something different about it, something almost musical\u2026 like water.\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A woman in bed | Source: Pexels\n\n\n

\n

I rushed to my window, half-expecting to catch Tom creating another ice sculpture out of my car. Instead, I burst out laughing.\n\n

\n

A fire hydrant at the edge of Tom\u2019s property had exploded, sending a powerful jet of water directly at his house. In the freezing night air, the water was turning to ice on contact, slowly encasing his perfect home and his precious German SUV in a thick crystal shell.\n\n

\n

The streetlights caught each frozen droplet, turning his property into a bizarre winter wonderland.\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\"Water\n\n

Water spraying from a damaged fire hydrant\n\n\n

\n

By morning, half the neighborhood had gathered to gawk at the spectacle. Some were taking photos with their phones, others whispering behind their hands.\n\n

\n

Tom stood in his driveway, attacking the ice with a tiny garden shovel, looking absolutely miserable in his designer winter coat. His perfectly styled hair was finally out of place, plastered to his forehead with sweat despite the cold.\n\n

\n

I watched him struggle for a few minutes before sighing heavily. Dad would\u2019ve known what to do.\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A woman with a resigned look on her face\n\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n

He always said that kindness costs nothing but means everything. I grabbed my heavy-duty ice scraper and walked over.\n\n

\n

\u201cWant some help?\u201d I asked, trying not to sound too amused. \u201cI\u2019ve got some experience with this sort of thing.\u201d\n\n

\n

Tom looked up, surprised and suspicious. His face was red from exertion, his breath coming in short puffs. \u201cWhy would you help me? After everything?\u201d\n\n

\n

I shrugged and started scraping. \u201cGuess I\u2019m just a better neighbor than you.\u201d\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A woman holding an ice scraper\n\n\n

\n

We worked in silence for hours, gradually freeing his car and clearing a path to his front door. By the time we finished, the sun was setting, and we were both exhausted.\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n

The next morning, there was a knock at my door. Tom stood there, shifting his weight from foot to foot, making his expensive shoes creak.\n\n

\n
\n

\u201cI owe you an apology,\u201d he said. \u201cI was a jerk. You didn\u2019t have to help me yesterday, but you did.\u201d He thrust an envelope at me. \u201cThis is to thank you\u2026 and to make amends.\u201d\n\n

\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A woman holding an envelope\n\n\n

\n

Inside was $5,000 in hundred-dollar bills. I stared at it, then at him, the paper crisp between my fingers.\n\n

\n

\u201cIt\u2019s for your car,\u201d he explained quickly. \u201cGet it fixed up \u2014 or get a new one if you\u2019d prefer. Consider it a peace offering. And\u2026 I\u2019m sorry about what I said. About you not belonging here.\u201d\n\n

\n

I looked at the money, then at my dad\u2019s old sedan sitting in the driveway.\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n

\u201cThanks, Tom,\u201d I said, tucking the envelope into my pocket. \u201cI think I know exactly what I\u2019m going to do with this.\u201d\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A woman with her hand in her pocket |\n\n\n

\n

A week later, my old sedan was sporting a fresh coat of paint, new tires, and a completely rebuilt engine. It stood out even more now as a perfectly restored classic in a sea of modern luxury vehicles.\n\n

\n

Every time I caught Tom looking at it, I made sure to rev the engine extra loud. Sometimes he\u2019d even give me a grudging nod of appreciation.\n\n

\n

Sometimes the best revenge isn\u2019t revenge at all.\n\n

\n
\n
\n
\"A\n\n

A woman driving a classic car\n\n\n

\n
\n\n
\n

Dad always said that class isn\u2019t about what you own \u2014 it\u2019s about how you treat people, even the ones who don\u2019t deserve it.\n\n

\n

Here\u2019s another story:\u00a0When sleep-deprived mom Genevieve discovers her car covered in eggs, she thinks it\u2019s a prank \u2014 until her smug neighbor Brad admits he did it because her car was ruining the view of his elaborate Halloween display. Furious but too exhausted to argue, Genevieve vows to teach him a lesson.\u00a0Click here\u00a0to keep reading.\n\n

\n

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.\n\n

\n

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided \u201cas is,\u201d and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

When my wealthy neighbor deemed my cherished old sedan an \u201ceyesore,\u201d he took matters into his own hands and froze my car solid overnight. But that same night, karma taught him a harsh lesson. I never thought I\u2019d end up in a neighborhood where every driveway sports at least one shiny German import and landscapers […]\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":5809,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5808","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5808","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5808"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5808\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5810,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5808\/revisions\/5810"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5809"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5808"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5808"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/momentsunfolded.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5808"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}