Internal Conflict
He didn’t know what to do. He was not a confrontational person, but this was a dispute he couldn’t just let go. He had lived in peace for many years, and suddenly a man had come to disrupt his tranquil life.
He thought long and hard about what to do, knowing any action could affect the entire neighborhood. Finally, he made a decision. And what he did ended up surprising everyone — not least of all his neighbor.
Disrupted Peace
But Oliver Lynch never thought he’d find himself in this situation. He had lived in this Osceola County, Florida neighborhood for 25 years with not much to complain about.
Located in central Florida, Osceola County is part of the Orlando Metropolitan Area, though not as hustling and bustling as that tourist-heavy city. Mostly it is home to retirees, like 79-year-old Oliver. But every now and then, there’s a commotion that shakes up the sleepy town.
Coming Home
One day, Oliver came home after being away for a few days. He had spent the weekend relaxing in his country cabin, getting at one with nature.
And so, feeling fresh and rejuvenated, Oliver headed back home. But as soon as he pulled up to his house in his car, he knew something was wrong. And his heart dropped.
Obstructed Driveway
You see his driveway,, a wide concrete path that goes straight in and then bends toward his garage, was obstructed by a row of cinder blocks.
He could still drive the car through, though barely. Once he got inside, he set out to find who was responsible for such blatant obstruction.
The Owner Next Door
The first thing Oliver did was go outside and try to move the cinder blocks himself — but it was no use. They wouldn’t budge at all.
They had been cemented down on the ground. “Who could have done this?” he thought. And then, slowly, a realization came to him like a bad dream in the night.
An Empty Lot
The property adjacent to his was an empty lot that had been on sale for a while. For years, rumors had circulated about the lot. Some said it was haunted, others said human remains were buried underneath.
He assumed someone must have bought it and put the blocks there as a form of separation. But why in the middle of his driveway?
Getting Ahold Of His Neighbor
Oliver had no idea who had bought the property, so he didn’t even know who to talk to about his problem. But soon he saw an opportunity.
As construction on the lot progressed, more and more workers, machinery, and materials started showing up next door. Who was this mysterious neighbor? Oliver needed answers. And he needed them fast.
He Needed Answers
He figured someone must know who the landlord is and how to contact him. So he walked over to the site and talked to the men hoping they would help give him the answers he so badly needed.
Finally, he had his neighbor’s phone number. But this problem wasn’t going to be so easy to resolve.
An Unreasonable Man
Oliver called up his neighbor and with each ring, Oliver’s heart quickened. He wasn’t at all a confrontational person. Far from it.
His neighbor picked up and at first Oliver stood frozen, trying to get out all his words. Eventually, he told his neighbor about the issue with the cinder blocks. But, to his surprise, the man wasn’t budging. He claimed that part of the land where Oliver’s driveway stood belonged to him. Oliver could feel the anger boil inside him like tea in a pot.
Left Lost For Words
Oliver was taken aback and didn’t know what to say. How could he do this? It was so obviously Oliver’s yard!
The pair hung up, and nothing was resolved. Unwilling to let the neighbor win, Oliver knew he had to get cold, hard proof that the land belonged to him. But he had to be quick.
Finding Proof
Oliver searched extensively through his files to find the property records, which was not an easy task considering he’d bought the house more than two decades ago! Hundreds of boxes later, he stumbled across the one he had been looking for.
But, finally, he found them. Finally, he had proof. But was it too late?
Reading The Files
As Oliver read through the files, he savored his victory: the records stated he was entitled to two adjacent 12-foot driveways!
He then drove to the Osceola County offices to corroborate the information and was told the records were accurate. But there was one more problem.
Jumping Through Hoops
Osceola County told Oliver that, despite proof that he was entitled to that piece of land, they couldn’t force his neighbor to remove the cinder blocks.
He would have to hire a surveyor to settle the dispute or take his neighbor to court. Oliver didn’t want to do either of these, so he tried talking to his neighbor again. But the man wouldn’t even pick up his phone. So Oliver decided to catch his attention in a way he couldn’t avoid.
Going On TV
Oliver contacted his local TV station, WFTV, and told them of his ordeal. The station decided to air a story on the dispute and headed to his neighborhood to interview him.
As soon as the TV crew arrived at Oliver’s home ready for a tell-all story about his neighbor from hell, Oliver knew he was doing the right thing. He had to make his neighbor pay. After all, he was in the wrong. Right?
His Side Of The Story
“I have little fight left in me, and I hate to see somebody bulldoze over me,” he told the TV show. “What’s he going to do with these extra few yards of concrete?”
His plight worked, at least with the public. As soon as the story aired, all the locals were on Oliver’s side. But would that help his case?
The Neighbor Shows Up
About a week after the story had aired on WFTV, Oliver was the talk of the town. Everybody had seen the story on television, but he still hadn’t heard from his neighbor.
But then one day, Oliver’s neighbor came to see him. Given his past interactions with the man, Oliver didn’t have high hopes for this encounter.
Ready For It
Oliver watched as his neighbor walked up to his drive to his front door. With each step his neighbor took, Oliver’s breath quickened.
He thought the neighbor had come to complain about Oliver airing their dirty laundry on TV, or perhaps even to threaten him. It didn’t matter though, because Oliver was ready to fight back.
A Civilized Conversation
To Oliver’s surprise though, the man just wanted to simply talk! He asked Oliver to show him the property records and explained to him that he had never intended to cause such a scene. He wasn’t that type of neighbor.
He genuinely thought that piece of land belonged to him. But that wasn’t all.
What Made Him Change His Mind?
Though Oliver could have been spiteful given all that his neighbor had put him through, he was happy to have this civilized conversation. After all they were neighbors. And Oliver didn't want to have any bad blood.
He asked the man if he would remove the cinder blocks, and he agreed. But what made him change his mind?
Did God Intervene?
In one of Oliver’s previous interactions with his neighbor, he had learned that the man was a minister. But that didn’t jive with his behavior towards him and their dispute, and Oliver said as much to WFTV.
“[A] God-fearing man. But I don’t think that’s very Christian-like.” Perhaps, after much prayer, the man saw the light and realized he wasn’t being fair to his neighbor. Whatever the reason, Oliver was relieved. But not all neighborhood disputes end so civilly.
An Inconsiderate Neighbor
A community in Washington was up in arms after a neighbor built a house on his property and painted it pastel purple.
They even started a petition against it, claiming the garish paint job would devalue their own homes. Nonetheless, the neighbor ignored them. But the man whose property was adjacent to the house decided to get revenge in an unusual way.
Name-Calling From Space
The neighbor’s home wasn’t adjacent to the purple house, but his field was. So he got on his lawnmower and decided to craft a secret message to his neighbor... that would only be visible by looking at the properties via satellite on Google Maps.
And though his revenge was more subtle than what many others would like, perhaps that’s the best way to resolve a conflict with a neighbor. Of course, you can always get the law involved.
Getting Help From The State
Disputes between neighbors are a part of everyday life. After all, we don’t choose who we live next to and it’s unlikely that we’ll get along with all our neighbors.
Luckily, most states in the U.S. have laws in the books to deal with the most common neighbor issues — from trees to fences to boundaries and more. If you are curious, look up your state’s statutes or court decisions online or at your local government office.