Sick And Tired
James was sick and tired of his neighbor taking advantage of him. She didn't have any respect for anyone around her, and he wanted to make sure that she would never do it to anyone ever again.
She had no idea who she was dealing with. James had a history that meant the old lady never should have messed with him.
A Special Set Of Skills
The woman didn't seem to care that the parking spot was rightfully his. If she wasn't going to give it up through rationality, then he would have to think of a way to force her to move.
Luckily, James had a special set of skills that most civilians couldn't dream of having. He wanted to leave his history behind him, but she forced his hand. But he'd take things too far.
Hatching A Plan
If James wanted to sort out the problem at hand, then he'd have to hatch a plan that would make sure that she would never cross him again. In all his years, he'd never seen such disrespect.
He was in his forties, and the woman causing him strife was only in her twenties. But that's when the idea came to him. He'd make something ingenious and terrifying at the same time.
A Workshop
If the old woman wasn't going to let up, then neither was James. He quickly arranged a temporary workshop where he could build the mother of all traps for his neighbor.
This is where his history came into play. He knew how to make devices that no one should make. He knew that he might be going too far, but she had driven him to the brink of madness with her antics.
Calling In A Favor
To build the creation, he'd have to find the right parts - parts that he'd have to get from a few favors. He looked up his contacts and managed to find the one he was looking for. It was an old number from a different world.
He called them, having no idea if they would even pick up. But once they did, he asked for items that no one could normally get.
Building It
Over the next two weeks, James built his creation. It became a dark obsession as it came together into the monstrosity that it was. He thought about how the woman might have laughed seeing him spend so much time on it.
But she wouldn't understand what it would do to her. It would change everything and make sure she never tried taking advantage of anyone again.
Regret
Finally, the day of reckoning came, and James walked over to the parking lot. He saw the target. Her sunroof was always open. It was the perfect opportunity for him to enact his revenge.
He put the device inside the vehicle and watched the magic happen. He walked away and waited for the trap to be sprung. She would never take that spot again.
James Park
James Park grew up in Florida with his parents. He always loved the heat while others suffered and complained. His father was very patriotic and often spoke about his time in the war.
His father was a Vietnam veteran and loved recounting war stories. At the same time, he always warned his son that war wasn't always the right solution to everything. With that in mind, James made a careful decision when he was older.
Finishing High School
James finished high school with the highest honors, but he was sure what he wanted to do after school. He decided to enroll in the military just like his dad did before him.
His father supported him but reminded him of the horrors of war. Coincidentally, just a year after James became a soldier, he was sent over to Afghanistan to fight a war.
A Long Service
After years of service, James finally returned home safe and sound. But he was surprised to find that not many people paid attention to who he was. There was a big anti-war culture, and many people seemed to confuse him with a blood-hungry psychopath.
This meant that not only did he find it hard to get a job, but he also found mostly resentment from people who didn't understand what part he played in the war.
Misunderstood
James felt misunderstood every day on the street. People had no idea what kind of trauma he had been through, but for the most part, he got by just fine.
He didn't care what other people thought of him. He finally managed to find someone who employed him and understood the atrocities he'd been through. But someone new was going to appear in his life.
A New Neighbor
James was doing well for himself. He had found himself a modest apartment that even had a nice parking spot. But that all changed when a new neighbor moved into the apartment block.
They had moved into one of the new apartments that were recently built. These ones didn't offer an underground parking spot since the parking was never expanded with the apartments. But they didn't seem to care - and James' parking spot was special.
Spot Taken
Not a week after the new neighbor had moved in, James came home from a long shift at work to see something he couldn't believe. His parking spot was taken. He scratched his head in confusion.
It wasn't any car that he recognized. That meant that it couldn't have been a mistake. He had to find the person responsible for it.
Finding The One Responsible
James decided to check with the janitor about whose car it was. Thankfully, the man seemed to understand his plea and gave him the apartment number. With a goal now in sight, he marched over to the apartment and knocked on the door.
There was only one reason why the person could have rightfully parked in his spot, and he was about to find out the truth.
A Young Woman
The person who answered the door was a young woman. She couldn't have been older than twenty-five. But there was one key detail about her that really made James' blood boil.
At least just staring at her, it looked like she was perfectly fine. So why was she parking in his spot? He cleared his throat and started asking about the parking spot, but it was a mistake.
Rude
"Excuse me, I'm your neighbor, and you're parked in my parking spot. Please, could you move?" He said in a kind tone. But the woman exploded at the mention of the parking spot. "First come, first serve." She said violently before slamming the door.
He couldn't believe her tone. She had no respect for a man nearly twice her age. That's when he decided enough was enough.
A Week Of Torture
The month was one of torture for the veteran. The parking spot was conveniently close to his apartment, something he really needed. He had to walk an extra ten minutes just to get home every day after parking his car.
Some days, he would even have to park on the street when the parking was full. He couldn't believe what the young woman had done to him.
Ignoring Him
There was another thing that bugged him about the woman. When he knocked on her door, he was sure that she could see the reason why he needed the parking spot. She stared like everyone else.
He was used to the staring and didn't care. But the fact that she could see why he needed it and didn't say anything made him angry.
Disability
The real reason he was so upset over the parking space was because it was reserved for him and anyone like him. Since he was the only person with a disability in the apartment block, he got to use it.
But the woman didn't look disabled to him, and she never explained herself despite seeing that he had trouble walking. He took shrapnel in Afghanistan.
His Own Form Of Revenge
He could have gotten the car towed for being in disabled parking. A cop probably would have even fined her, but he didn't want to rely on a system that he didn't believe in. He wanted to find his own form of revenge.
If she was going to beat him to the spot every day, then he would have no choice but to do something drastic.
A True Predicament
But James never thought he'd find himself in this predicament. A true son of his father, he'd followed his advice through and through.
There was usually no reason to seek out confrontation when matters could be resolved through discussions and understanding. But each time she approached the woman, she seemed bent on making the issue worse.
She’s Rude
The first time he went to talk to her, she responded by being snarky and slamming the door in his face. The second time, she'd come out of her apartment and looked him dead in the eyes before stating, "You want the car gone. You'll have to move it yourself."
The third time was even worse. It had been a week of this despicable behavior, and James had had enough of it. He opted to give negotiations one last try before drawing arms.
Trying To Be Sensible
If James wanted to sort out the problem at hand, then he'd have to hatch a plan that would make sure that she would never cross him again. In all his years, he'd never seen such disrespect.
He was in his forties, and the woman causing him strife was only in her twenties. But that's when the idea came to him. He'd make something ingenious and terrifying at the same time.
Getting Dangerous
As James tried finding time in his busy schedule to confront the woman one last time, he thought about any way to appease her. Maybe she liked cookies? He picked some up from the store on his way home and decided to go to her apartment.
But unluckily for James, he had no idea what he was encouraging when he decided not to leave her alone. She was going to go ballistic, and things would get dangerous quickly.
Unaware Of What Was Coming
On his way to her apartment, he had a lot to think about. He carried a box of cookies as he checked what her number was. But he was unaware of what he was stepping into. Once he remembered where she was, he felt the hair on his arm stand up.
This would be a lot harder than he initially thought. He had quite a task before even reaching the woman’s apartment.
Ninth Floor
The woman's apartment was on the other end of the complex and on the ninth floor. It didn't come as any help that the elevator wasn't working that week.
With the difficulties that came with walking in his state, James found himself going up the flights of stairs slowly. It was painful on his body, but he knew it was necessary.
Up The Stairs
The first two flights of stairs were manageable. He'd been used to climbing two flights as his apartment was on the second floor. But the pain started to pile on itself as he hit the third floor.
His old wounds burned him. But a soldier that he was, James bit back the excruciating pain and agony and continued. He hoped the woman's answer would be different this time.
Heart On His Sleeve
With his heart on his sleeve, the war vet knocked on the woman's door. Loud music was coming from inside, so he found himself having to knock even harder.
With a release of a sigh, he knocked and waited. He couldn't understand why this woman was doing this to him. Perhaps it was time he asked her why.
Doubts
The more time passed in front of the door, the more doubts James had. He was going through a lot of pain to talk to her one last time. He had even gone out of his way to get her a small gift. If they couldn’t get along after this, they would never be friends.
He thought about how most people didn’t respect veterans anymore. He was getting older, and things only got harder. But she was going to do something unexpected.
Fifteen Minutes
James stood on the woman's door for fifteen minutes before she opened. Her hair was disheveled and matted, and she was still in her pajamas, with a dried line of drool drawing from one end of her lips toward one of her ears.
"You again," she grumbled. "Can we not do this today?" She leaned against the door, and that's when James was able to peek into her apartment.
What Was Wrong
Why did the woman sound so tired? What was she doing? James felt obligated as a neighbor to wonder about the woman. Then he realized that there was a scent that was familiar. What was it? He recognized it.
She had bags under her eyes and looked weak and tired. With the scent in the air, James grew concerned about his neighbor and the safety of his entire apartment block. What was she getting up to?
Not His Business
James knew that it was none of his business, but he couldn’t help but feel obligated to pry. If he had a bit more respect for her, then maybe he would have left it well alone. But he was deeply concerned.
The woman didn’t seem happy to see him. She no doubt hated his guts and wanted him gone as fast as possible. But was the urgency in her voice a hint that she was doing something wrong?
Live Your Life
James was by no means someone who judged other people's lifestyle choices. As long as they were not a danger to the public or harming anyone in any way, he was okay with it.
His eyes scanned the woman's apartment in one quick swoop – a latent habit from his military days. What he saw put a few things in perspective, telling him this was a difficult mission he was on.
Differing Perspectives
Immediately after glancing in, he knew that this was going to be hard. The two of them definitely had different perspectives on life. He was more conservative and was grateful for every little thing that he had and got to experience.
She seemed to be a bit more entitled and would not give in to his demands. But after seeing what her apartment looked like, he wasn’t even surprised anymore.
A Party
Beer cans and bottles crowded the woman's coffee table. There was also the residual smell of burnt tobacco issuing from her house. Although the place was shrouded in dimness, the vet could see the mess there.
"I'll only be a minute," he said, understanding the woman's position. Seems she had a party the previous night and was sleeping off the aftermath of her decision. But that wouldn't stop James from needing to speak to her.
A Simple Plan
James' plan was simple. He'd explain to the woman that his condition necessitated the parking spot. He was having difficulty walking to and from his vehicle when it wasn't in his usual spot.
That place saved him much time and, most importantly, pain. He wanted to appeal to her humanity, to show that he wasn't attached to the parking spot for some odd reason but because it was tied to his health. But the woman's answer would leave him speechless.
Peace Offering
“Sorry to bother you. I can see that you’re busy. I brought you some cookies as a peace offering,” James said. The neighbor’s eyes grew wide with greed, and immediately snatched them away. She was keen on taking things from him, but what would her reply be?
“So, do you think that maybe we could come to some kind of compromise? I really need that parking spot. It’s important for my health.” He added.
Not Sober
Just as he finished his question, he noticed that she swayed slightly and then leaned on the doorframe. It was subtle, but he could tell that she had been drinking. She wasn’t in a sober mindset, and he could see anger rising in her face.
It might not have been the right time to talk to her. He thought about leaving and asking again in the morning, but he hadn’t realized that it was already too late.
Grabbing Something
The woman stood her ground even if she was swaying. James wanted to leave. This was clearly a mistake. Then he noticed something else about the woman. He watched her reach for something in her pocket. His old instincts kicked into gear.
What was she reaching for? He felt old muscle memory he didn’t know he had wanted to kick into overdrive. He had to stop himself; if he didn’t, he would hurt her.
What Was It?
James stopped himself. Surely there was a logical reason for what she had in her pockets. He watched her slide her hands out of her pockets. There was a glint of metal, and James’ heart skipped a beat. But as he realized what it was, he sighed a breath of relief.
It was a metal lighter and a pack of cigarettes. She lit one and puffed smoke in his face. He tried talking again, but she cut him off.
She Yells At Him
The woman grunted the moment James started to explain his predicament. Shock washed down her face when he asked her if she had a disability that warranted her actions.
"Do I look like I have a disability?" she yelled, following her words with a few choice words that cut through James' heart. He couldn't understand why she was this hostile.
Anger Issues
The woman clearly had anger issues which were intensified by her drinking. James couldn’t understand why she wouldn’t let him have the spot. It didn’t even seem like a big deal to her anyway.
But his heart went soft again. He thought that maybe he could help her. If he did, maybe he’d be able to get his spot back. Either way, he had to at least try something. Otherwise he would never have his spot back.
Can He Help Her In Any Way?
James asked her if she was going through something that would make her act out this way. Maybe he could help her, and in turn, she'd give him his parking spot back.
It was a long shot, but he extended a hand and said, “Look, do you need any help? I’m happy to compromise and maybe help out somehow so that I can get my spot back.” It seemed like a fair trade, but how would she react to his new offer?
Laughing At Him
But the woman laughed. "You?" she pointed at James. "There's nothing you can help me with, old man. As a matter of fact, I was thinking about moving my car away but now that you decided to disturb my afternoon, I won't. Enjoy walking in your condition!"
James couldn’t believe her attitude. He had only been nice to her, but she seemed rotten to the core. But what she did next meant that he would have to go oldschool on her.
Whoop Whoop!
Screaming, "Whoop whoop!" the woman banged the door in James' face. Inside, she turned her music up so any knocking James might have done wouldn't reach her ears.
Dejected, the vet left the same way he came. Although going down the stairs was easier than going up, the journey was more painful, given what James had just endured. But pain wasn't the only thing boiling within his veins.
Anger
A sweltering anger had taken over James. Burning white hot, it had consumed his pain by the time he was at the bottom of the building.
He'd swore never to let anger take over him this way. But with her blatant disrespect, this woman had worked hard to bring this side of him out. He'd show her just how big of a monster he could be.
An Unexpected Visitor
James vowed to no longer be amicable. He could also be nasty if he wanted to and now that she had shown that she had no intention of settling things peacefully, she would regret it. Her laughing would turn to begging soon enough.
The old man looked back down the stairs. He gritted his teeth and started the journey, but he had no idea he was about to receive an unexpected visitor.
Returning Home
James walked to his apartment, wondering the best way to teach this woman a lesson. He was still pondering when one of his neighbors came to say "hi."
They talked about how they'd noticed the woman's car on James' spot for days. "She's so rude," the neighbor said. "I tried to talk to her about the parking spot, and she flipped me off!" But that's not all the neighbor revealed.
Not A Popular Character
The woman wasn’t done ranting about the terrible neighbor. It seemed apparent that James wasn’t the only one whose life had become a misery ever since she moved in. James was about to learn the truth from many witnesses.
The woman had not only been annoying him but everyone else. He couldn’t stand it. They had to all band together and do something about it. James would take the lead. He was craftier than most.
A Menace
The neighbor shared that the woman had been a menace around the apartment complex lately, picking fights with everyone. She was seemingly eager to make an enemy out of everyone.
Given that the complex was home to most individuals the same age as James, it didn't make sense why such a young woman would do all this. It was time to teach her a lesson.
Taking Advantage
James was sick and tired of his neighbor taking advantage of him. She didn't have any respect for anyone around her, and he wanted to make sure that she would never do it to anyone ever again.
She had no idea who she was dealing with. James had a history that meant the old lady never should have messed with him.
Rightfully His
The woman didn't seem to care that the parking spot was rightfully his. If she wasn't going to give it up through rationality, then he would have to think of a way to force her to move.
Luckily, James had a special set of skills that most civilians couldn't dream of having. He wanted to leave his history behind him, but she forced his hand. But he'd take things too far.
Terrifying
If James wanted to sort out the problem at hand, then he'd have to hatch a plan that would make sure that she would never cross him again. In all his years, he'd never seen such disrespect.
He was in his forties, and the woman causing him strife was only in her twenties. But that's when the idea came to him. He'd make something ingenious and terrifying at the same time.
Not Letting Up
If the old woman wasn't going to let up, then neither was James. He quickly arranged a temporary workshop where he could build the mother of all traps for his neighbor.
This is where his history came into play. He knew how to make devices that no one should make. He knew that he might be going too far, but she had driven him to the brink of madness with her antics.
Calling In A Favor
To build the creation, he'd have to find the right parts - parts that he'd have to get from a few favors. He looked up his contacts and managed to find the one he was looking for. It was an old number from a different world.
He called them, having no idea if they would even pick up. But once they did, he asked for items that no one could normally get.
Dark Obsession
Over the next two weeks, James built his creation. It became a dark obsession as it came together into the monstrosity that it was. He thought about how the woman might have laughed seeing him spend so much time on it.
But she wouldn't understand what it would do to her. It would change everything and make sure she never tried taking advantage of anyone again.
Trapped
Finally, the day of reckoning came, and James walked over to the parking lot. He saw the target. Her sunroof was always open. It was the perfect opportunity for him to enact his revenge.
He put the device inside the vehicle and watched the magic happen. He walked away and waited for the trap to be sprung. She would never take that spot again.
A Loud Bang
James watched from afar as the young walked out of her apartment to go somewhere. It was a short walk to the disabled parking. She unlocked her car and got in. That's the moment that it was set off.
There was a loud bang - the component he had to get from a friend. But the rest of the device was harmless.
Foamy Revenge
James watched as foam rapidly expanded inside of the car. It looked like it had been through a carwash with the windows rolled down. But the best part was watching the woman climb out of the car covered in foamy revenge.
She screamed and then looked around, but James had camouflaged himself well. She had no idea who had done this, and even if she had an idea, she had no proof.
Having His Parking Spot Back
It worked like a charm, and the woman decided to park in her normal parking spot after getting an expensive valet. James was sure it was out of fear of their car getting soap-bombed again.
He took the spot and finally could breathe easy. He didn't have to trek very far to go to and from his car. Life was normal again, or as normal as it could be for the veteran.