When my neighbor wouldn’t turn off his bright floodlights at night, my husband and I needed a clever solution to keep the peace.
When the Thompsons moved in next door, they seemed friendly. My wife, Gia, and Susan, the neighbor, quickly bonded while chatting over unpacked boxes. We thought we finally had some neighbors our age to socialize with. Mark, the husband, was often away for work, while Susan stayed home and had a long list of phobias, including fear of the dark, thunderstorms, snakes, clowns, and spiders.
As time passed, Susan’s fear of the dark created an issue that affected Gia and me. Their floodlights, installed soon after they moved in, were excessively bright, like those outside prisons. Gia joked that they could probably be seen from space.
Despite our attempts to address the issue, Susan insisted she needed the lights on for safety when Mark was away. We tried thick curtains and rearranging our bedroom, but nothing helped. After a week of sleepless nights, I approached Susan, asking her to turn off the floodlights after midnight, as they shined directly into our bedroom. She explained her need for safety and refused my suggestion to install a timer.
After several attempts to reason with her and Mark, who felt similarly protective of Susan, we continued to lose sleep. Frustrated, I considered drastic measures, like unscrewing the bulbs or using a pellet gun, but Gia reminded me to stay calm. Instead, she suggested a harmless plan while she and Susan went out for nails.
The next day, I climbed a ladder and slightly unscrewed each bulb to disrupt the connection. That night, when Susan turned on the lights, they flickered and went out. Gia and I finally enjoyed peaceful sleep. Surprisingly, days turned into weeks, and the lights stayed off.
However, one day, I saw Mark fixing the bulbs again. The floodlights blazed back to life that night, and I knew I had to repeat my trick. This cycle continued for months—every time Mark tightened the bulbs, I loosened them.
Then one Saturday, as I trimmed the hedges, Mark approached me. He mentioned his floodlights kept going out, and I managed to keep a straight face while agreeing it might be due to vibrations from the street. I suggested he could leave them off, and he seemed to consider it. After that conversation, Gia and I enjoyed our peaceful, dark evenings once again.
“Public are upset over KFC Store door sign, despite restaurant’s refusal to remove it”
In recent years, law enforcement personneI have faced challenging times, with a growing misconception that all police officers are dishonest or corrupt. To counter this narrative and express appreciation for the sacrifices made by men and women in uniform, a Gallipolis, Ohio restaurant decided to make a meaningful difference.
Their simple yet powerfuI gesture is resonating far beyond the local community.
An Expression of Appreciation – The restaurant’s initiative stems from a deep desire to unequivocally demonstrate gratitude to all members of law enforcement. The goal is to honor their daiIy sacrifices in ensuring the safety and security of the community.
Recognizing that police officers often face challenging situations, the restaurant aimed to provide them with a small but impactful token of appreciation.
A Welcoming Invitation – For law enforcement officers, the demands of their job can be physically and emotionally taxing. The restaurant recognized the importance of offering these dedicated individuals an opportunity to refueI with a warm meal. By extending an invitation for uniformed police officers to dine for free, the establishment aimed to create a welcoming environment where officers could take a moment to recharge.
A Viral Symbol of Support – The restaurant’s gesture resonated deeply within the community and beyond. A sign pinned to the KFC window that announced the free meals for police officers quickly went viral, garnering more than 5,000 shares and 10,000 Iikes on Facebook. The overwhelming response indicated a collective appreciation for this gesture of support.
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