Greed and Lies

Dear Mom,

Oh, it’s been over six months now—my husband, Norm went to work one foggy morning and noticed a big metal post in the middle of the street. It’s about a block from our house to his business. He got out of his car, and moved the post across the street onto the shoulder. Construction had just been finished on the street, and we looked up and down to see if anyone was missing a post in the neighboring subdivisions, but didn’t notice anything. The other newer signs looked different and Norm figured it was an old one that fell off the truck, and eventually they'd come back to pick it up. 

The post sat there for months. Norm figured no one was going to claim it, didn’t want to see it waste away and brought it to his studio. He sanded and repainted it. He ordered a personalized sign to hang from the post. The post sat in his studio for several more months until the weather was warm enough to dig a hole and cement the post in the ground.

Norm had the post sitting out in the drive when one of the neighbors from the adjoining subdivision came over. He told Norm he thought that post might be their subdivision’s old sign. No one seemed to care about it for the past six months.

A day or two after the sign was concreted in our yard, there was a slip of paper on our back door… from the police. Norm called, but the officer that had signed the paper was off his shift and no one else knew what it was about. I figured a burglar was hovering around the area and we were going to be notified to be on alert.

Little did we know that we were the burglars… according to the police officer, “The neighborhood claims you stole their subdivision sign.”

“Are you serious?”

Norm explained the entire story. The officer laughed. After the officer spoke with someone from the subdivision, he told Norm that if he paid $250 for the post, they'd drop the matter. Norm agreed to pay even though he thought it was ridiculous.

Matter closed.

Or so we thought.

The subdivision had a meeting and decided they wanted more money. Seems a member of the subdivision is a lawyer. He wrote Norm a letter requesting $550. Norm wrote back, enclosed a $250 check, and explained that was the amount agreed upon via the police officer.

They sent the check back and told Norm they’d see him court and they’d let a judge decide.

Court date set. Norm went to court. Both sides gave their story, but now the subdivision wanted $1,100. The judge advised he’d make a decision and send both parties a letter.

I told Norm that I’d really be disappointed in the judicial system if he didn’t win. He said he would be too.

This past weekend Norm received the judge’s decision. It was a form with boxes checked… Norm being the defendant.

Decision: in favor of the defendant, no fees, no fine.

YA-HOO! My faith has been restored in the judicial system.

Greed and lies do not pay… that’s what I can say about this whole ordeal. And the judge—he’ll get my vote for re-election.