Living in harmony on Maple Street, Jim and Susan, my neighbors, and I had an oral agreement to erect a privacy fence. After shaking hands, I erected the fence near the boundary of the property. Jim and Susan were grateful for the arrangement because it was free of charge.

They sold their home a year ago, and Kayla, a realtor in the city, moved in. She informed me that my fence had encroached onto her property by nine inches, and she promptly had a land surveyor mark the boundaries. She insisted, “Move the fence or pay for the land.” I had to take down the fence because I didn’t have any documentation proving that I had agreed with Jim and Susan.

Kayla came back a week later in a distressed state. She begged me to repair the fence, explaining that Duke, her dog, needed it to be safe. I declined, even though she was hostile. When Kayla tried to keep Duke inside her house with a makeshift bamboo fence, it didn’t work and she ended up losing her purse and causing havoc at a garage sale. While the neighborhood laughed at the situation, Kayla found it difficult.

Kayla was desperate to keep Duke under control, but she tried a lot of things without success. She begged me once more to rebuild the fence one evening, even offering to cover the cost. I understood her situation, but I didn’t give in. I eventually moved on and sold my house, finding serenity in a new residence.

When I looked back, I saw that Kayla’s move next door forced me to find peace. Telling the story to friends always makes them laugh and serves as a gentle reminder that karma can operate in mysterious ways.