My son kept building snowmen, and my neighbor kept running them over with his car, until my child taught him an unforgettable lesson. EditoronApril 21, 2026 The next afternoon, Nick went out as usual, but instead of his usual spot, he built near the fire hydrant, right on the edge of our property. From the window, it looked harmless. He’d built it bigger than the others: a solid base, a wide body, and a round head. “This one’s special!” he shouted back when I went to check on him. I saw flashes of red near the bottom, but I didn’t pay any attention. Snow never settles evenly. Kids do strange things. That evening, as I was starting to prepare dinner, I heard it. A sharp crack. A metallic screech. Then shouts. “ARE YOU KIDDING ME?” I ran to the living room. Nick was already at the window, his hands pressed against the glass—his eyes wide, but not scared. Mr. Streeter’s car was wedged directly into the fire hydrant. The hydrant had burst open, spraying a powerful jet of water like a geyser. His car, the street, the garden were soaked to the bone. The headlights shone dimly through the spray. At the foot of the rock lay a shapeless pile of snow, branches, and that familiar red scarf. Fire hydrant. Snowman. Oh no. Cold-weather gear. “Nick,” I whispered. “What did you do?” “I put the snowman where cars aren’t supposed to go,” he said calmly. “I knew he’d do it again.” Mr. Streeter came rushing in, banging on our door. He was soaked from head to toe, furious. “It’s YOUR fault! Your child did it on purpose!” I remained calm. “Are you hurt? Do you need medical attention?” “I TOUCHED AN EXHIBIT VENT!” “The fire hydrant is on the property line,” I said. “You can only turn it on if you’re on our lawn.” He froze. “So… you’re admitting you were driving on our lawn.” He stammered, “He set me up!” parenting advice books “He built a snowman on our property,” I said. “You drove over it. Again.” I called the non-emergency number. The officer followed the tire tracks directly onto our lawn. “So you were off the street?” the officer asked. “Yes,” I said. “I asked him to stop several times.” The officer nodded. “Then the damage to the fire hydrant is his responsibility.” When everything was finally back to normal, Nick sat down at the table, swinging his legs. “Am I in trouble?” “Did you try to hurt him?” « Previous Next»
