The new neighbor had dumped a large pile of gravel right in front of our house. When I politely asked him to remove it, he simply smiled and said, “It’s my problem. I’ll deal with it when I feel like it.” His dismissive attitude made it clear that there was no point in hoping for a reasonable discussion or a peaceful resolution. So, I decided to handle the situation in my own way, and I have no regrets. Ever since then, the neighbor has made a habit of avoiding any direct contact with me.
It all began a few years ago when a man, a former soldier, moved into our quiet village with his wife. They quickly caught the attention of the locals, though not necessarily in a positive way. People seemed wary of them, perhaps because they were outsiders, but personally, I didn’t see any reason for the suspicion. They had purchased their land legally and had never caused any trouble.
For the first couple of years, they kept a low profile. Then, when he finally began constructing his house, his land turned into an active construction site, with deliveries of sand, dirt, and gravel arriving regularly. One Saturday, while we were out in the countryside, we returned to find an unwelcome surprise—a massive pile of gravel dumped right in front of our house, blocking part of our entrance.
At first, I considered taking care of it myself, but I decided to speak to the neighbor the following morning. When I knocked on his door and asked why he had chosen to dump the gravel in front of my house, his response was completely unfazed.
“I can’t leave it in front of my place,” he said. “Trucks pass through there. You still have space in front of yours.”
I couldn’t believe his arrogance. Keeping my composure, I told him directly, “Take it away immediately. I don’t want it here.”
Rather than acknowledging the problem or offering any apology, he shrugged and said, “It’s my problem. I’ll deal with it when I decide to.”
At that moment, I realized arguing with him would be pointless. He had no intention of resolving the issue fairly, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. That night, armed with a shovel, I moved half of the gravel onto my own land.
The next morning, when he stepped outside, he was clearly taken aback by the significantly smaller pile. He glanced toward me, no doubt trying to make sense of what had happened. I met his gaze and said calmly, “Since you dumped the gravel in front of my house, part of it belongs to me now. Consider it rent.”
He stood there for a long moment before muttering, “Smart, huh?”
Ever since that day, we’ve had extra gravel to use for fixing up our pathway, and the neighbor has kept his distance, avoiding any unnecessary interactions with us.