That "Junk" Bike Ruined Her Life

Synopsis

I came back from a business trip and saw right away that my parking spot was empty. My neighbor, Misty Norris, sat nearby, cracking nuts. She glanced at me like nothing was wrong. "Elbert, that old motorcycle of yours was way too loud. It roared every night, and my grandson couldn't sleep," she said casually. "So I made the call and had the junk man take it." She paused, then pulled a wad of wrinkled bills from her pocket and shoved it into my hand. "It sold for 1,000 dollars. That barely covers the stress my grandson went through. Don't bring something like that back again, got it?" A few older neighbors drifted over and quickly joined in. "That's right, Elbert. A good neighbor is better than a distant relative. Don't let a little money ruin the peace." "Misty did it for the kid. You should be more understanding." I looked at the money in my hand. I said nothing and took it. She had no idea that the "old motorcycle" was a Ducati V4S, a limited edition. I had spent about 60 thousand dollars on parts alone. She wanted to settle this quietly. It was too late. I wanted her to know what it felt like to sit in a jail cell.