Living on Maple Street had always been blissfully quiet—until my peaceful backyard fortress, complete with a fence I built myself, became a battleground. My original neighbors and I had a simple, verbal agreement: the fence wasn’t on the exact property line, but we were all happy. Then they moved, and in came Kayla—city slicker, real estate mogul, and soon, my personal nightmare. Within months, she had a land survey done and demanded I move my fence—nine inches onto her property, she claimed—or pay her for the land it sat on.

So, I did what any reasonable person would do. I took it down. Every nail, post, and panel—gone. It was exhausting, but I wasn’t about to fight a legal war with someone wielding a clipboard like a sword. Then Kayla came back in tears, begging me to rebuild it. Her dog, Duke—a determined German Shepherd—had turned her house into a disaster zone. I felt a flicker of sympathy… but not enough. “Sorry,” I told her. “Can’t take that risk again.”

Duke’s rampage only escalated. He tore through bamboo fencing, destroyed her furniture, and during a garage sale, escaped, wreaked havoc on the block, and her purse got stolen in the chaos. Still, I refused to rebuild the fence. We brainstormed alternatives, but nothing matched the barrier she’d once fought to eliminate. Eventually, I listed my house for sale. When Kayla knocked one last time to apologize, I wished her well—but told her it was time for both of us to move on.

Now, in my new home, I’ve rebuilt that old fence—every panel like an old friend. My own dog runs safely inside, and peace has returned. Kayla? She’s become local legend. Neighbors still laugh about the saga of the fence, the dog, and the purse. And me? Every time I look at that fence, I’m reminded that karma always shows up—sometimes on four legs and with a tape measure.