Mrs. Johnson, a newcomer to our neighborhood, was known for her polished demeanor and sharp business suits. She kept to herself, rarely interacting with the locals. But when she asked my 12-year-old son, Ethan, to mow her lawn for $20, I thought it was a great opportunity for him to earn some extra cash.
Ethan worked tirelessly for two days, meticulously cutting her vast lawn. However, when he finished, Mrs. Johnson refused to pay him, claiming that the experience was payment enough. She told Ethan that he should be grateful for the lesson he learned from mowing her lawn.
I was furious when I found out. How could she take advantage of my child like that? I decided to teach her a lesson. I enlisted the help of an old friend, Mark, who owned a landscaping business. We devised a plan to trim her hedges into unusual shapes and ordered three truckloads of mulch to be delivered to her driveway.
As the mulch blocked her driveway, Mrs. Johnson’s anger was palpable. She stormed out of her car, inspecting the hedges and mulch. When she confronted me, I calmly told her that I knew nothing about it. The neighbors, who had been watching the spectacle, couldn’t help but laugh at her predicament.
Mrs. Johnson eventually stormed back into her house and emerged with a crumpled $20 bill, which she shoved at me. I refused to take it, telling her to give it to Ethan instead. As she handed him the money, her embarrassment was evident.
From that day on, Mrs. Johnson never asked Ethan for help again. The neighborhood buzzed with the story of how she learned a lesson about honesty and hard work. Sometimes, it’s necessary to stand up for what’s right, even if it means taking unconventional measures.
