Embarrassment
Benjamin was beyond mortified as he stood frozen in his tracks. He couldn't believe what the neighbor had done. He understood that the hundreds of tires in his yard weren't a pretty sight, but he had a good reason for them. He was soaked and embarrassed and his head was spinning.
He was determined to make his neighbor feel as embarrassed and ashamed as he felt. He had no idea that two years later, he would be able to get his revenge and his neighbor would not be prepared for it.
An Ordinary Man
Benjamin Smith was an ordinary man, in an ordinary town. He worked as a carpenter and was well known throughout the community. He would be willing to do anything to help anybody out.
But this down-to-earth man had no idea what was in store for him.
Struggled To Get By
Benjamin was used to getting by. With every dollar he earned as a carpenter, he put towards bills and rent, which didn’t leave him much. He knew what it meant to struggle.
But Benjamin had no idea what was about to happen to him when he stumbled across abandoned tires in his small town.
Abandoned Tires
One warm Saturday morning, Benjamin set off for a walk around his local town. But through each street he passed, he couldn’t help but notice abandoned tires scattered around.
He didn’t know it at the time, but these abounded tires were about to change his life forever.
Rolling It Home
Benjamin wasted no time as he grabbed one of the tires and started rolling it back to his home. He wasn't blind to the people watching him in confusion. They had no idea what he was doing.
But he didn't pay much attention to them as they stared and pointed. He was too focused on getting the massive tire home. He knew that none of them had any idea what was coming.
More And More Tires
For the following few days, like clockwork Benjamin set off to retrieve another tire and bring it back to his yard.
And again, townspeople were stumped at what he was doing. “Why would somebody want a dirty old tire?” they said, stood gossiping about Benjamin. Nobody knew what he was up to, but Benjamin sure did.
Tires Everywhere
Weeks had gone by, and every day, Benjamin was bringing more and more tires home. His yard was small, but it looked even tinier with all of the tires stacked into it.
It was a mess, but Benjamin didn't mind it at all. It was going to be worth it. But little did he know that someone else had a problem with the state of his yard.
His Neighbor
Antony was Benjamin's neighbor and he was not at all pleased with Benjamin's yard. He would mock Benjamin for it, "You obviously don’t have a big enough house.” He would laugh whenever he saw Benjamin. He was smug about it.
This always made Benjamin feel ashamed. Antony's nasty words stung Benjamin where it hurt. But soon, Antony would regret every negative word he ever said to Benjamin.
He Couldn’t Catch A Break
For as long as he could remember Benjamin very rarely had material possessions. Growing up, his family wasn’t well off, and later on, in his adult life, it seemed like he couldn’t catch a break.
So when his neighbor started belittling him because of the tires in his yard, it only motivated Benjamin further to prove him wrong. To prove everyone wrong.
Coming Up With Designs
You see, as Benjamin worked as a carpenter and had a lot of free time recently, he had started to experiment with designs and furniture pieces.
And so, one warm Friday afternoon, after months of collecting random unwanted tires, Benjamin got to work on his plan. Nobody was expecting this
Finally Finished
Benjamin had spent the weekend breaking a sweat and working away at his new design, using the unwanted tries.
When he was finally finished he let out a sigh of relief and wiped away the sweat that dribbled down his forehead. It was finally completed! And the end result would leave everybody lost for words.
A Transformation
Benjamin had transformed the old unwanted tires into tables, stools, and armchairs! Their finished look was truly beautiful! And as expected, they took off!
Within a year of releasing and selling his new items, he made four times as much as what he used to make! It was incredible! But despite his success, Benjamin had no idea someone was about to come and rain on his parade.
Someone Wasn’t Happy
Benjamin didn’t know it at the time, but somebody was watching Benjamin revel in his success and achievements.
They had been watching his every move, envious of what he had accomplished. And they weren’t too happy about it.
Two Years Of Success
The next two years flew by, and Benjamin and his creations had gone from strength to strength. He had gone national, with numerous towns 100 miles away wanting a piece of Benjamin’s furniture.
But when Benjamin kicked back and relaxed one Friday evening after a long week of work, he heard a knock at his door. He got up to answer, and as soon as he saw who it was he stood frozen in his tracks.
An Unwanted Visitor
As Benjamin opened the door to the unexpected visitor, his mouth dropped wide open to see it was none other than Antony.
It was the neighbor who had ridiculed him. The neighbor who chipped away at his self-confidence. What did he want? What was he doing here? When Benjamin found out the truth, he was lost for words.
I Need A Job
“I need a job” Antony slowly muttered, avoiding all eye contact with Benjamin; the man he had ridiculed two years ago. “I want in on your business,” he said.
Hearing this Benjamin felt joy from within. “You really expect me to do that?” Benjamin asked. “Please” Antony replied, begging. And for some strange reason, a smile crept up Benjamin’s face.
What Would He Do?
Benjamin didn’t know what to do. On one hand, he wanted to shut the door on his face and head back into the living room.
And then, on the other hand, he wanted to give his neighbor the benefit of the doubt; he was begging, so clearly he was desperate. What Benjamin did next left the neighbor just as humiliated as he made him two years ago. He had it coming.
The Best Kind Of Revenge
He simply responded with a quiet “no,” and shut the door in his face. After that, he went back to his living room and enjoyed watching the football on his brand new plasma screen TV.
You see Benjamin forgave, but he didn’t forget. He sipped on his ice-cold beer and he knew that revenge sure did taste sweet. But this wasn’t the first time a strange project in a yard drew the curiosity of all the neighbors…
Holes Out Of Nowhere
She went to bed with a lovely view of the green yard next door, but the next day, she was awoken to the sound of her new neighbor drilling a bunch of holes in the ground.
It wasn’t her property, and she hated to stick her nose in where it wasn’t wanted. All they could do was watch as the events unfold.
Nosy Neighbor
It could have been anything. Maybe a septic tank problem? Pest infestation? Jill Thompson stood at her bedroom window scratching their head as more holes appeared in her neighbor’s yard. What was he doing?
She was tempted to find out what he was up to, but when she saw him digging dirt out of the ground with his bare hands, she was too scared to even ask.
Special Delivery
Jill hadn’t met the man personally yet, but she had waved to him from across the street when she saw him moving in.
One morning, an old, rusty truck backed up to the man’s property. Jill and a few other curious residents watched as long parcels were unloaded from the vehicle. What was he doing over there?
The Plot Thickens
A few days later, Jill realized that the delivery had been several wooden posts. He was building something!
The posts protruded out of the holes in an odd formation like some kind of druid monument, which puzzled Jill and the other onlookers. Then they noticed a new addition to the construction team that caught their eye.
Cute Alert
As the diligent man continued to work on the strange project, a young boy emerged from the house and came over to join him.
“That must be his son,” said Jill to the other neighbors. But the question still remained: what were they doing in the backyard that required so many holes and wooden posts?
Young Apprentice
The neighbors were all now fascinated by what was going on in the man’s backyard. They watched as the young boy fetched materials and tools for the man - the kid was certainly eager to help get the project done.
He even picked out some weeds and carried some big stones in his tiny hands. It was a very cute sight to watch the miniature workman in action - but still no answers.
Pile of Rocks
At this point, it almost seemed a shame to ask what they were building as it became a hot topic in the neighborhood to try to guess what they father-son duo was working on.
With the wooden posts now all upright – like ridged soldiers made of wood - a huge pile of gravel that appeared in the man’s yard further confused the curious residents. But they started to get a clearer idea of what was going on.
Strong Foundations
It appeared that the man and his son had been working on the foundations for some kind of structure. But for what?
Not a lot happened in their sleepy suburban street, so Jill enjoyed concocting theories as to what was been built. With foundations this strong, how tall was this thing going to be exactly? Was it going to ruin the aesthetics of the well-kept neighborhood?
Basic Structure
Before long, more lumber and construction materials arrived at the house and it became clearer that the man was building something ambitious.
But it wasn’t just nails, screws, hooks, and mounting brackets that were arriving at the property, there were some new faces turning up too. But who were they and why did he need so much help?
Helping Hands
Jill and her neighbors heard a lot of commotion coming from the yard as more laborers piled in. Before long, the structure seemed at least halfway completed. They couldn’t wait to find out what it was.
Now the project was really taking shape and Jill could see some very specific features that gave clues as to what the final results were going to be.
New Additions
More recognizable elements of the structure started to emerge - a floor and a set of stairs. Now it was beginning to take shape.
More hints fell into place and the puzzle became more complete. Was it a small storage hut? It became apparent that the man and his team knew what they were doing, but what was the end goal?
Ahhhh! We Get It!
Autumn had arrived. Kids were getting ready to go back to school and the leaves were changing from green to beautiful shades of brown and red.
The project still wasn’t finished. However, enough of it had been completed that Jill finally knew what was going on, and they were all very excited! Perhaps this was something they could all share?
Winter Closing In
Then came the bad news. Just when Jill and her neighbors thought the project was finally about to be revealed, the man had put away his tools and materials and covered it all up.
Since the weather was getting colder and construction was getting harder, it looked like he would have to wait until next spring to complete his many months of work.
Spring Ahead
Fast forward to next spring and the man had finally started things up again. He peeled back the weathered tarps, got out his tools, and pulled out the rest of the wood that had been in storage.
Neighbors soon started peering over the fence again. The area took on the familiar sounds of banging, drilling, and sawing. By summer, they would finally get to see what it was.
Easy Access
Since moving in, the man and his family had enjoyed an above-ground pool for a while, but getting in and out with the flimsy ladder wasn’t just awkward, it was dangerous for their son.
The father had decided enough was enough and they needed a new deck for easier access. So, how did his DIY skills work out?
Impressive Results
The end result was something stunning – a professional contractor couldn’t have done a better job. A year of wondering what they were looking at had come to an end - Jill and her neighbors were really very impressed.
Sturdy beams held the floor in place, seams were met perfectly, angles were carefully measured, and all edges were beveled for decoration. As if that wasn’t enough, the family added a few finishing touches to turn it into something out of a magazine.
Finishing Touches
A coat of sealant was added to protect it from adverse weather and keep it pristine for years to come.
They also added a set of grey and brown deck chairs and tables so they could lounge in the sun after a cool swim. Jill took some notes. She’d learned a thing or two from watching this DIY project in action.
Truth About DIY
A project like this isn’t something to take on lightly. A lot of people think they can nail a few boards together and knock up something like this in a few months.
But that couldn’t be further from the truth – you need time. It also takes a lot of know-how and practice, as well as learning from mistakes. But there is some good news for budding DIY-ers.
Less Expensive
Doing your own construction, even small fixes around the house, can save you a ton of money.
For example, a plumber costs hundreds but replacing your own toilet pump can come in at under $50. Painting your own walls is another cheap project you can do on your own that gets big results. But there’s more to DIY than just saving money.
Proud Feeling
It’s no secret that there’s a large amount of pride attached to accomplishing something yourself - especially when you get to gaze upon your creation every day.
Start with small things and slowly move to bigger endeavors. There is an enormous amount of information out there for free. With time, you could be building your own luxury deck … Even your own pool!