As I returned from a business trip on Halloween afternoon, I was eager to hand out candy to trick-or-treaters. But my enthusiasm quickly turned to shock when I saw my house stripped of its decorations.
My neighbor, Sandra, had taken them all – the graveyard scene, life-sized skeletons, and lights – and plastered them across her own yard. I was furious.
For years, my “Haunted House on Thatcher Street” had been a neighborhood legend. I spent months planning the spooky setup, and now it was gone.
I took a deep breath and decided to bide my time. As the night wore on and the street quieted down, I snuck out to an all-night convenience store and bought some vivid red and black paint.
Under the cover of darkness, I crept back to Sandra’s yard and spray-painted a bold message across her
white fence: “I STEAL MY NEIGHBOR’S DECORATIONS TO WIN A PRIZE FOR THE BEST DECORATED HOUSE!”
The next morning, I watched from my window as Sandra discovered the graffiti. Her face paled as she realized she’d been caught.
The neighborhood council judges arrived soon after, clipboards in hand, to evaluate the Halloween decorations. They snickered at Sandra’s fence, and one of them chuckled, “She really did steal them?”
When they reached my house, Mrs. Delaney, a kind judge, praised my dedication to Halloween. “Sandra’s fence really… added something, didn’t it?” she said with a wink.
Sandra stormed out of her house, accusing me of vandalism, but the judges had already made up their minds. They awarded me the prize for Best Decorated House.
As Sandra glared at me, I shrugged and said, “Happy Halloween.” It was a sweet victory, and I savored every moment.
From that day on, Sandra kept her distance, and I continued to create magical Halloween experiences for the neighborhood. Sometimes, standing up for yourself requires a little creativity – and some bold red paint.
