The verbal altercation with my next-door neighbor, Pat, left me stunned. He hadn’t said a friendly word since the day we moved in, but his accusation that summer morning was too much. Especially when my family had tried our best not to bother him.
At that time our subdivision, just east of Spokane, was brand-new. Homeowners were putting up fences to contain their pets and kids. Pat lived alone, with visits from his teenage son and daughter. He worked from home, and I could understand his need for privacy. We offered Pat the opportunity to share the cost of a fence between our properties, and he agreed.
