Halloween night had gone perfectly. I’d spent hours setting up the most elaborate display on the block—glowing pumpkins, inflatable ghosts, a fog machine, and even a motion-activated skeleton that jumped out at trick-or-treaters. My two young kids were thrilled, and it was all worth it to see them light up every time they saw the display.
The next morning, however, my excitement turned to shock. As I stepped outside to clean up, I noticed my decorations were completely drenched. My pumpkins were soaked, the inflatable ghosts were deflated and twisted in wet clumps, and the cobwebs clung messily to the grass. I stood there, staring at the chaos, trying to figure out how it had happened. It hadn’t rained, and no sprinklers were set for that time of day.
Confused, I glanced over at my neighbor Doug’s yard, and my confusion turned into suspicion. His yard was perfectly dry, and his Halloween lights were still shining as bright as ever. I had noticed Doug wasn’t a fan of my Halloween decorations; in fact, a few days earlier, he’d grumbled about how my inflatables blocked the view of his lights from one side of the street.
Determined to get some answers, I knocked on his door. Doug answered with his usual laid-back grin, seemingly unfazed by my clear frustration. “Morning!” he said, barely holding back a smirk.
“Doug,” I began, trying to stay calm, “did you soak my Halloween decorations last night?”
He shrugged, raising an eyebrow. “Look, your display was kind of… well, it was blocking my lights. You know, everyone comes down this street to see my setup. But if they can’t see it because of your inflatable ghosts…”
My jaw dropped. “So you thought the best solution was to ruin my decorations?”
Doug didn’t seem bothered at all. “Hey, I didn’t want to ruin them! Just a little water to clear the view.” He shrugged again, like he was completely justified. “Besides, people deserve to enjoy my lights without any distractions.”
I took a deep breath, determined not to let him see my frustration. “Doug, I have two young kids who were thrilled about these decorations. It’s one night a year, and you didn’t even ask me to move them.”
Doug just waved his hand, dismissing my complaint. “Look, it’s Halloween. A little water never hurt anyone, right?”
I left without another word, seething but keeping a calm face. As I walked back to my house, an idea formed in my mind. Doug might think he’d gotten the last word, but next Halloween, I’d be ready with a display that would truly make him wish he’d kept quiet this year.
