Our home renovation took an unexpected twist when our pricey eco-friendly paint vanished—only to mysteriously end up in the hands of our opportunistic neighbor. What he didn’t anticipate, however, was that karma had its own way of serving justice, and it would cost him more than he ever bargained for.
The Disappearing Paint
My wife, Karen, and I had been planning to renovate our living room for months. We envisioned a cozy yet modern space and wanted everything to be just right. After careful research, we decided to invest in a high-end, eco-friendly paint that was not only aesthetically pleasing but also good for the environment. It wasn’t cheap, but we figured quality was worth the price.
“I can’t wait to get started,” Karen said excitedly, checking the shipping confirmation. “It should arrive by Tuesday.”
“I’m looking forward to it too,” I agreed, equally enthusiastic. “This paint is supposed to be top-of-the-line.”
Tuesday came and went, but the package never showed up. I kept checking the front porch, thinking it might have been delivered later than expected. By evening, frustration set in.
I called the delivery company to inquire about the missing order.
“Hello, I was expecting a package today, but it never arrived,” I explained to the representative.
After a moment, she replied, “According to our records, it was delivered this morning.”
“That can’t be right,” I said, trying to remain calm. “There’s nothing here.”
She suggested checking with my neighbors. It seemed reasonable, so I decided to go door-to-door, asking if anyone had mistakenly received a package meant for us.
First, I knocked on Mrs. Thompson’s door.
“No, dear,” she said sympathetically. “I haven’t seen anything. I hope you find it.”
I tried a few other neighbors, but no one had our missing paint. The more I searched, the more irritated I became. Where could it have gone?
A Shocking Discovery
A few days later, Karen rushed into the kitchen, gripping a small postcard in her hand. Her face was a mix of disbelief and outrage.
“Look at this!” she practically shouted.
I took the postcard and read aloud:
“Premium eco-friendly paint for sale. Delivered to me by mistake. Used a little, selling the rest at a generous discount.”
“That’s our paint!” Karen exclaimed. “He stole it!”
I couldn’t believe my eyes. The sender? None other than our neighbor, Mr. Jenkins.
Fuming, I stormed over to his house, ready for confrontation. When he opened the door, he wore a smug grin.
“Hey there,” he greeted me nonchalantly, his eyes flicking to the postcard in my hand. “Looking to buy some paint?”
I clenched my jaw. “Actually, Mr. Jenkins, I believe that’s our paint. It was supposed to be delivered to us last Tuesday.”
His grin faltered slightly before he forced a shrug. “Oh, is that so? Well, it ended up here. I’ve already used some, so if you want the rest, you’ll have to pay for it.”
I stared at him, stunned by his audacity. “That paint belongs to us,” I said firmly.
“Can you prove it?” he challenged, crossing his arms. “If not, it’s mine now.”
Taking a deep breath, I decided to see the evidence for myself.
“Show me the paint,” I demanded.
Jenkins hesitated but eventually led me into his garage. And there they were—several unopened cans of our paint, stacked neatly in the corner.
“You see?” he said smugly.
I realized then that reasoning with him was pointless. Without proof of ownership, there wasn’t much I could do. So, I swallowed my pride and made a decision.
“Keep it,” I said, turning to leave. “I hope you enjoy it.”
“Oh, I will,” he responded with a smirk.
Karma Has the Final Say
For the next two weeks, Jenkins took great pleasure in flaunting his freshly painted living room. He invited neighbors over, boasting about the fantastic deal he had gotten.
“Look at this color,” he bragged. “Luxury paint at a fraction of the price!”
I gritted my teeth every time he threw a smug glance my way. But then, karma stepped in.
One afternoon, I noticed Jenkins standing outside, looking frustrated. He was on the phone, his voice tense with irritation.
“This paint is peeling off the walls!” he shouted. “I need someone to fix this ASAP!”
Turns out, Jenkins had completely skipped the proper wall preparation before painting. Since high-quality eco-friendly paint requires a specific application process, it had started peeling in large patches, leaving his walls looking like a complete disaster.
A few days later, I overheard him grumbling to another neighbor.
“I have to repaint the entire living room,” he admitted bitterly.
“That’s a shame,” Mrs. Green replied. “Didn’t you say that was the best paint on the market?”
“Yeah,” Jenkins sighed, “but now the price has doubled. It’s going to cost me a fortune to redo it.”
I couldn’t help but smile. The very paint he had stolen had now become his biggest financial headache.
But karma wasn’t done yet. Since he had botched the job so badly, he decided to hire a professional painter.
“Hello, I’m here to repaint your living room,” the painter said upon arrival.
“Yeah, come in,” Jenkins muttered, utterly defeated. “Just make sure it doesn’t peel this time.”
Justice Served
The whole neighborhood soon learned about Jenkins’ mishap, and let’s just say, no one felt sorry for him.
“Did you hear about Jenkins?” one neighbor chuckled. “He had to pay double to fix his mess.”
“Serves him right,” another responded. “He never should’ve taken what wasn’t his.”
Watching Jenkins deal with the consequences of his actions was far more satisfying than getting my paint back. He thought he had pulled off a clever trick, but in the end, he paid for it—twice over.
From that day forward, every time I passed by him, I’d flash him a knowing smile. A silent reminder that you really do reap what you sow.
And Jenkins? Well, let’s just say he’s been keeping a much lower profile these days.