Listen, you’re hogging up the space a little there. It’s a shared space, remember?” John said. “Yeah, I remember.
Did you explain that to your dog?” Danny smugly retorted. “Is that what this is about? You’re still upset about Suzie?” John asked, confused.
“It’s about respect, John. Have a good day,” Danny said, leaving without another word. John stormed back to his house, fuming.
Who does this guy think he is? Clearly, he doesn’t know who he’s messing with, John thought. The next day, John decided to take matters into his own hands and started building a wall between their properties to establish a boundary.
Danny was furious and blatantly threatened to sue John, but John ignored him and continued building the wall. Days turned into weeks, and the wall got higher and higher, and likewise, so did the tense feud between John and Danny. But neither was willing to back down.
They began to avoid each other and even forbade their children, who had recently become classmates and good friends, from communicating. Early one morning, John was awakened by a loud crashing sound from outside. Looking out the window, he saw a bulldozer tearing down his wall.
John ran out of the house and saw Danny standing near the wall. “Get your affairs in order, boys! Because your houses are next!
Ready or not… Change is coming!” Mr. Cooper concluded before driving off. “Danny!
Are you crazy?! Stop this immediately!” John yelled, furious. “Listen, I was honestly thinking of doing the same.
But I guess I was about a month too late,” Danny said, looking on in awe as the bulldozer continued to tear down the wall. “Liar! I know this is your doing!
Stop it, now!” John cried. “I swear to you, John. It’s not me,” Danny said.
“You’re lying!” John insisted. Tired of John’s accusations and ramblings, Danny threw himself before the bulldozer. “What’s going on here!?”
The bulldozer halted, and a car suddenly pulled up next to it.
A man in a flashy suit jumped out of the car, yelling at the bulldozer driver in frustration. “Who told you to stop! I don’t pay you to laze about!
Get to work!”
“Excuse me! Just what do you think you’re doing?” Danny snapped at the man. “Mr.
Cooper?” John said, surprised. “What? You know this guy?” Danny asked, confused.
“Yeah, he owns a chain of local stores,” John explained to Danny. “What’s going on here?” John asked Mr. Cooper.
“Hi, John. Gentlemen, you are slowing down progress. But, if it helps get you out of my way, I’ll tell you.
This will be the venue of my brand new store,” Mr. Cooper explained with a smug grin. “Are you insane?
You can’t do that! This is my…” John stopped and looked at Danny, reconsidering his words. Then he continued with full conviction, “This is our property!” Danny gave him a nod, acknowledging John’s sudden change of heart and their solidarity.
“Not according to this,” Mr. Cooper said, handing John a document. Danny joined John as they both read it in awe.
“This says that you’re the rightful owner of the property. This can’t be right!” a shocked John said. “It also says he’ll be bulldozing our houses next, John.
This is ridiculous!” Danny added. “Well, you better believe it,” Mr. Cooper said, grabbing the document and getting into his car.
“And you! Tear this down!” Mr. Cooper said to the bulldozer driver.
“Get your affairs in order, boys! Because your houses are next! Ready or not… Change is coming!” Mr.
Cooper concluded before driving off. “I know he’s some big-shot business owner around here, but can he really do that, John?” Danny asked John, deeply worried. “I don’t know, Danny.
Those papers looked legit,” a disheartened John said softly. “We can’t allow him to do that, John! Think about our families.
What will I tell Kevin and Cindy? What will you tell Tommy and Judy?” Danny cried desperately. “I don’t know, man!
People like Mr. Cooper make things happen! We don’t stand a chance,” John said, defeated.
“No… No… No, I don’t believe that. You make things happen, John. I’ve seen it.
Remember how you rallied everyone for the barbecue? People respect you. Maybe we can convince them to help us,” Danny said.
“We can save our homes, John. C’mon! What do you say?” Danny concluded, putting out his hand for a handshake.
John hesitated. “C’mon. For our families, John,” Danny said.
“For our families,” John said, shaking Danny’s hand with determination. John and Danny immediately rallied the community and explained their situation to their neighbors. Within an hour, they had the whole community in protest surrounding the bulldozer, not allowing further work to be done.
Out of options, the bulldozer driver called Mr. Cooper. “Sorry, boss.
There’s a bunch of people here. They have me surrounded, and I can’t do anything. We’ll have to pick it up from where we left off tomorrow,” the driver said, throwing the whole community into a triumphal cheer as he got off the bulldozer and walked off.
Danny and John shared a high-five for their victory. Later that day, John called the community chair while Danny took the matter to the police. The community chair agreed to investigate the matter, and so did the police.
The next day Mr. Cooper returned with the bulldozer trying to finish the job. However, shortly after his arrival, the police came and arrested him.
It turned out they had been investigating Mr. Cooper for a while now. The Summers and Johnson properties were just a few in a long list of properties Mr.
Cooper had taken over with fraudulent documents. “This is great!” Danny said as the police left with Mr. Cooper.
“We saved our homes, John!” Danny said, elated. “Yes, we did, Danny!” John said cheerfully. “Listen, I know we haven’t always seen eye-to-eye, but I believe there’s a way we can resolve this without any more unnecessary drama.
How about we work together to resolve this issue,” Danny suggested. “How so?” John asked. “Well, we can hire a surveyor to pinpoint the exact location of the boundary line and then share the cost of relocating the wall, if necessary,” Danny proposed.
John looked at the ruined wall he had recently built. He remembers how wonderful the barbecue had started out and how all their neighbors had rallied again to protect their homes. He remembered how excited his wife and son were to find friends in the Johnson family.
And then, he finally had an epiphany. “I think I may have a better idea. Just please be patient and give me a little time, okay?” John said calmly.
“Alright, John,” Danny replied, and they shook on it. The next day, Danny was awakened by what sounded like construction unfolding outside again. He immediately rushed outside to see John working on something.
“What are you doing? I offered to solve everything peacefully and fairly!” Danny snapped. “I know, Danny.
Please be patient,” John said calmly. “Patient?! There’s no getting through to you!
I don’t have time for this right now, but you’ll hear from me after work!” Danny snapped, rushing back home. John sighed deeply, then continued working, an unbothered smile consuming his gaze. At the end of the day, Danny returned home from work and saw a playground on the lawn from John’s side, where Tommy and Kevin were swinging jovially.
Danny’s side of the lawn looked awkwardly empty beside the laughter-filled playground on the other side. “Looks like you really did have a better idea,” a surprised Danny said, approaching John. “I told you.
Just be patient,” John said with a warm smile. “Daddy! Look!
Tommy’s dad built a playground!” Kevin said, elated. “I see, my boy. You boys enjoying yourselves?” Danny asked.
“Yeah!” Tommy and Kevin exclaimed. “Great stuff!” Danny said to the boys before turning back to John. “Truce?” Danny said, holding out his hand.
“Truce,” John replied. They shook hands and watched their children play. From that day, the two families agreed to share the lawn space.
Danny and John even became good friends. Danny and John built a huge gazebo on Danny’s side of the lawn, where they would host barbecues and parties for the whole community. Judy and Cindy also agreed to make a small flower garden with the remaining space.
What can we learn from this story?
