“Me neither,” I replied, squeezing his hand. “It’s going to be amazing.”
We had called his parents, Miriam and Richard, over to share the news.
When they arrived, I could see the curiosity in their eyes.
“What’s this big news you have for us?” Miriam asked, settling into her favorite chair.
David took a deep breath. “I got the project. We’re moving to California for a month.”
Miriam’s face lit up. “That’s wonderful, David! But what about the house? You can’t just leave it empty.”
Richard nodded. “She’s right. Houses need looking after.”
I glanced at David, who gave me a reassuring smile. “We were hoping you could help with that,” he said.
Miriam’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Oh, we’d love to! Right, Richard?”
“Absolutely,” Richard agreed.
“Thank you so much,” I said. “That would be very helpful.”
David seemed relieved. “Great, it’s settled then.”
But as we started to pack up our things, I couldn’t shake the feeling of unease.
Miriam and Richard had a habit of overstepping boundaries, and I worried about what they might do while we were away.
The next morning, David and I loaded the last of our bags into the car. Miriam and Richard stood by, ready to take over.
“Don’t worry about a thing,” Miriam said. “We’ve got it all under control.”
I forced another smile. “Thanks, Miriam. We really appreciate it.”
David hugged his parents goodbye. “Take care of yourselves and the house,” he said.
Richard gave me a firm handshake. “You two enjoy your adventure. We’ll keep everything in order here.”
As we drove away, I couldn’t help but feel a knot in my stomach. “Are you sure this is a good idea?” I asked David.
“It’ll be fine, Michelle,” he said, glancing at me. “They mean well.”
I nodded, trying to convince myself. “I know. It’s just…”
“I understand,” he said, squeezing my hand. “But this is a great opportunity for us. And we’re going to enjoy our time in California, okay?”
I took a deep breath and pushed my worries aside. “You’re right. Let’s focus on the adventure ahead.”
But despite my efforts to focus on our new adventure, the unease from leaving our house in Miriam and Richard’s hands lingered.
A week into our stay in California, I received a call from Alice, our close neighbor.
“Hey, Michelle,” Alice started, her voice hesitant. “I need to tell you something about your in-laws.”
My heart sank. “What did they do, Alice?”
She took a deep breath. “Miriam threw away your purple curtains.”
“What?” I felt a surge of anger. “Those were my favorite!”
“There’s more,” Alice continued. “She also scolded me for wearing a top and shorts in my own backyard.”
I clenched my fist. “That’s so intrusive. She has no right!”
“And,” Alice hesitated again, “I saw her throwing away some of your clothes.”
Chills ran down my spine. “What? She did what?”
“I’m so sorry, Michelle. Tom and I want to help. We can talk to Miriam and Richard and put them in their place.”
I took a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart. “Thank you, Alice. I appreciate it. Please, do what you can. They need to understand boundaries.”
“What’s wrong?” David asked as he entered the room.
“Miriam threw away my curtains and some of my clothes. She even scolded Alice for her outfit in her own yard.”
“What? Mom did that? This is too much. We need to call them.”
“Let’s wait,” I said. “Alice and Tom are going to talk to them first.”
“Alright, but if this doesn’t stop, we’re calling them ourselves.”
“They need to learn that they can’t just do whatever they want,” I said, nodding.
As I ended the call with Alice, I felt a sense of resolve. Miriam and Richard were going to learn the hard way that their behavior was unacceptable.
I anxiously waited for Alice’s call to update me on their talk with Miriam and Richard. When my phone finally rang, I answered immediately.
“Michelle, it’s Alice. We talked to them, but Miriam just brushed it off. We need to take this further.”
I took a deep breath. “Alright, what’s the plan?”
“We’ll gather the neighbors,” Alice said. “Let’s have a video call to discuss it.”
An hour later, I sat at my laptop, connecting to a video call with Alice, Tom, Brian, Ellen, and Honor. Everyone looked serious and ready to help.
“Thanks for joining,” I began. “Miriam’s crossed the line. We need to show her boundaries.”
Brian nodded. “What can we do?”
Alice leaned in. “Miriam’s planning a barbecue this weekend. I say we crash it.”
Tom grinned. “Sounds good. How?”
“Everyone wears Hawaiian shorts,” Alice suggested, her eyes twinkling. “And we bring tuna pies — Miriam hates them.”
Ellen laughed. “That’ll definitely make a statement.”
“Make it fun and loud,” I added, feeling a mix of excitement and nerves. “Show them what real boundaries are.”
Honor nodded. “Count me in.”
We spent the next hour planning every detail. Everyone had a role, from baking the pies to finding the brightest Hawaiian shorts!
Before we ended the call, Brian clapped his hands together. “This is going to be epic.”
“Remember,” I said, trying to sound confident, “the goal is to reclaim my home, not start a war.”
Alice smiled. “We’ve got this, Michelle. They won’t know what hit them.”
Just when I hung up, David returned from grocery shopping. “We have a plan,” I explained, detailing everything.
He listened quietly and sighed. “I feel bad it’s come to this. They’re my parents, after all.”
“I know,” I said gently. “But they need to learn they can’t do whatever they want.”
He nodded slowly. “You’re right. I just wish it didn’t have to be this way.”
“I understand,” I replied. “But it’s the only way to reclaim our home.”
David managed a small smile. “Alright. Let’s see how it goes.”
That weekend, I traveled back home, determined to handle the situation in person.
Soon, the day of the barbecue arrived, and Miriam’s loud invitations gave Alice the perfect opportunity to overhear. I waited anxiously nearby, ready for the call.
Soon enough, my phone rang. “Michelle, they’re here,” Honor said. “It’s time.”
“On my way,” I replied, taking a deep breath and heading to our backyard.
As I approached, I saw the neighbors in their bright Hawaiian shorts, carrying tuna pies and ready to party. Miriam and Richard stood there, shocked and outraged.
“What is this? You can’t be here!” Miriam snapped at them.
Alice stepped forward, unfazed. “We’re here to enjoy the barbecue, Miriam.”
Miriam’s face turned red. “I’m calling the police! You can’t just crash my party like that.”
Honor quickly called me. “Michelle, it’s time.”
I entered the backyard, feeling a surge of determination. “Miriam,” I began, “you’ve crossed the line. So I think I should be the one calling the cops.”
Miriam glared at me. “How dare you speak to me like this in front of everyone! This is unacceptable! Did you plan all of this?”
“Unacceptable,” I said firmly, “is you changing the curtains, making inappropriate remarks to my neighbors, and throwing away my clothes! My neighbors will stay at this party, and you will serve them barbecue. Then, you’ll pay me for the things you threw away. Otherwise, I’ll call the police for damaging my property at MY home.”
Miriam’s facade crumbled as she stood speechless, her face red with anger and disbelief.
“You can’t do this,” she sputtered.
“You have a choice,” I said, holding my ground. “Comply or face the consequences.”
The neighbors watched, some smiling, others nodding in agreement. Richard, realizing the gravity of the situation, gently tugged her arm.
“We should just do what she says,” Richard said quietly. “Let’s not make this worse.”
Miriam looked around, seeing the determination on my face and the support from the neighbors. She finally nodded, defeated. “Fine,” she muttered.
With no choice, Miriam served the barbecue with a forced smile while the neighbors enjoyed the party. The atmosphere was lively and joyous, with music playing and everyone having a good time.
I was glad that I had reclaimed my home and set the boundaries clear. It wasn’t just about the curtains or the clothes — it was about respect and understanding. And we had made that crystal clear.
Do you think we did the right thing?
Little Boy Brings Food To Beggar & His Dog Daily, One Day Boy Sees Dog Barking On His Doorstep – Story Of The Day
A policeman’s son befriends a homeless man and his dog and brings them food every day. Then the dog appears unexpectedly and alerts him to an injustice.At twelve, Brian Devlin was small for his age, and not very athletic. His father, Gary, didn’t really understand his shy, bookish son. His son was nothing like him…
He had been a tall, strapping, boisterous boy, always up to his ears in mischief. Gary tried to build his son’s self-confidence, but the harder he tried, the more Brian seemed to pull away.
Brian was smart, that Gary couldn’t deny, and he had a scholarship at a prestigious private college on the other side of town. The boy was scared of taking a bus, but since the school was close to his work, Gary picked him up every afternoon.
Gary was a desk Sargeant at the local precinct, and by the time his work ended at 5:00 p.m., the school day was long over. In the winter, Brian waited in the library and did his homework. But in the summer, he sat on the school steps and waited for his dad, soaking up the sunshine.
One afternoon, when Gary arrived, Brian wasn’t on the steps. He was outside the school gates petting a dog. Brian looked up at his dad with a happy grin.
Don’t make assumptions about people before you know who they are.
“Look, Dad,” he cried, then he said to the dog, “Dance!”
The dog hopped up onto its back legs and did a little jig, front paws up in the air and its tongue lolling out happily.
“Isn’t that so cool?” the boy asked.
“Yes,” Gary said, surprised by the enthusiasm Brian was showing. “Whose dog is that?”
“It’s Carl’s,” Brain said, and pointed at a man sitting on the pavement and leaning back against the school fence. The man was in his forties and he was clearly homeless.
A ragged bundle of blankets lay on the ground next to him, and he was unshaven. The dog, however, was well cared for. It was a Golden Retriever, and its fur was groomed and gleaming.
The man shrank back when Gary looked at him, so he said to his son, “Come on, now, it’s time to go.”
On the way home, Gary said, “Listen, Brian, I want you to stay away from that man and his dog, OK?”
“Carl’s OK and I love Goblin!” Brian protested.
“Goblin?” Gary asked. “Is that the dog’s name? Well, I’m sure Goblins’ a good dog, but I don’t want you befriending vagrants, Brian. Do you understand?”
“But dad…” Brian protested.
“Not another word,” Gary snapped.
The next day, when Gary came to fetch Brian, the boy was studiously sitting on the steps reading a book, but that night, his wife co
mplained that half a roast chicken was missing.
“I don’t understand!” she cried. “I set it aside to make sandwiches for Brian’s lunch and now it’s gone!”
Gary looked over at Brian and the boy looked so innocent that he was immediately suspicious. Was Brian taking food to school for that vagrant and his dog?
Gary started keeping an eye on the pantry and noticed that tins of sausages kept vanishing. He now knew that his son was stealing so he could feed the dog and the homeless man every day. Gary felt a pang.
His son, who had such difficulty making human friends, had bonded with the dog. It was a pity it belonged to a vagrant, a man who might be dangerous.
Two days later, Gary got off work early and when he arrived at the school, he caught Brian outside the gates. He had a bag in his hand and he was saying: “Hey guys, I have your favorite spaghetti, Carl. And for you boy, your favorite sausages!”
“BRIAN!” he thundered. “What are you doing?”
The boy looked up at him, and for the first time, Gary saw fear in his son’s eyes. Immediately he felt a surge of anger
It was this derelict’s fault that his son was afraid of him! He stepped forward and clenched his fists. “Get away from that man,” Gary shouted. “Get into the car!”
That night, Gary and his wife sat down and talked to Brian about the dangers of befriending strange men. Brian shrugged it off. “Dad, I know about stranger danger and bad touching. Carl is NOT like that, he’s nice. You can tell he’s a good person because Goblin loves him so much, and Goblin’s the BEST, smartest dog.”
“Brian,” Gary said quietly. “I’m sure Goblin’s a great dog, but you know what? Hitler had a great dog and he loved him, and I’m sure the dog loved him back. A good dog does NOT make this vagrant a good person. Please stay away from him, Brian!”
“NO!” shouted Brian, and he pushed back his chair. “Carl is my friend and I love Goblin! Why do you always have to spoil everything? I HATE YOU!”
That night, Gary made a decision. He was going to solve this problem his own way…
That Saturday, Brian woke up early to the sound of anxious barking. He thought sleepily, “That sounds just like Goblin!”
Brain jumped out of bed and looked out of his window. It WAS Goblin, and he was standing on the porch barking anxiously and looking very unhappy.
“Goblin!” Brian cried as he opened the door, and immediately the dog ran to him. Goblin put his head in Brian’s lap and started whining. “What’s wrong, boy? Where’s Carl?”
But the dog just whined and shivered so Brian decided to do something he’d always been afraid to do before — go to his dad’s work and ask for his help.
Gary was stunned when he saw Brian at the precinct with the dog by his side. “Brian!” he gasped. “What are you doing here? How did you get here?”
“Dad!” he cried. “I think something bad happened to Carl. Goblin came looking for me and he’s very scared…” But Goblin wasn’t looking scared, he was looking up at Brian’s dad and growling.
Brian had never heard Goblin growl before. “Dad!” he asked. “What have you done?”
Gary flushed. “Carl was loitering near a school and he was warned off twice, so we arrested him!”
“But dad!” Brain cried. “He did nothing wrong! He’s not well, he needs help…You don’t know anything about him! He’s a veteran and he was in the bomb squad and he worked with sniffer dogs to find explosives. That’s why Goblin’s so well trained. He’s a good man and you arrested him because he’s sick!”
“He’s not SICK!” Gary cried angrily. “He’s a bum!”
Brian had tears in his eyes. “No, dad,” he said softly. “He doesn’t drink or anything, and most of the time he talks to people who aren’t there. He needs help.”
Gary was ashamed of himself, mostly because he couldn’t admit that there was a part of him that was jealous of Carl and his easy friendship with his son.
He did some investigating and discovered that Carl had a sister in a neighboring state who had been looking for him for years. He contacted Carl’s sister and she was overjoyed.
She took Carl home and enrolled him in an outpatient mental health clinic immediately. Goblin went too, of course. Brian missed Carl, but mostly he missed Goblin.
Then one day his dad came home with a big grin on his face and a strange lump under his jacket. He lifted out a wriggling puppy and presented it to Brian. “There you go,” he said. “You have to name him!”
Brian started crying, he was so happy. “Goblin,” he gasped. “His name is Goblin Two!”
What can we learn from this story?
Don’t make assumptions about people before you know who they are. Gary assumed Carl was a drunk and a danger before he knew anything about him.
Kindness and compassion are the greatest of virtues. Brian’s empathy led him to befriend Carl, and he helped him find his way back home.
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