I couldn’t believe my eyes. Every Friday night for the past month, I had come home to find our block transformed into a noisy mess. This Friday was no different.

As I pulled into my driveway, I saw a strange car parked in my spot. Frustration bubbled up inside me. My entitled neighbor, Jessica, was hosting yet another party. I could see the colorful lights and hear the loud music coming from her house.

The narrow driveway, lined with retaining walls, made it impossible for a tow truck to remove the car without causing damage. I knew this because I had tried calling one before. I stepped out of my car and slammed the door. “Great! Just what I needed after a tiring day at work!” I muttered to myself.

I marched over to Jessica’s house, my patience wearing thin. As I approached her front door, Jessica appeared, holding a glass of wine. “Hey, Susan! Another great party, huh?” she said, flashing a bright smile.

“Jessica, this has to stop,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “Someone parked in my driveway again, and I can’t get into my garage!”

Jessica shrugged. “Oh, come on, Susan. It’s just one night. You can park on the street.”

“That’s not the point,” I snapped. “This is the fourth week in a row. I’m tired and just want to park in my own driveway!”

Jessica rolled her eyes. “I’ll ask around and see whose car it is, but no promises. Relax and let everyone enjoy the party!”

I turned away, feeling defeated. How could she be so careless? I just wanted peace after a long week. Heading back to my car, I sighed, wishing for some respect and quiet.

I waited for a couple of minutes, but nobody moved the car, and I had to park on the street. Too tired to argue, I trudged into my house, longing for some rest. The next Friday, things took a turn for the worse. That night, I received a call from my mom.

“Susan, I need to go to the hospital. My heart’s acting up again,” she said, her voice weak and shaky. My heart sank. Mom’s health was fragile, and she needed me.

“I’ll be there as soon as I can, Mom,” I assured her, grabbing my keys and rushing to the door. But when I got to my driveway, my heart sank. I was blocked in by Jessica’s party guests.

I marched over to Jessica’s house, my nerves frayed. I pounded on her door, but the music drowned out my knocks. “Jessica! Open up! I need to get my car out!” I shouted, but no one answered. I had no time to waste. Desperate, I pulled out my phone and called a taxi.

When the taxi finally arrived, I jumped in and directed the driver to my mom’s house. My mind raced with worry for her, and I felt a mix of anger and helplessness. How could Jessica and her friends be so inconsiderate? Mom needed me, and here I was, delayed because of their careless partying.

When I finally reached my mom’s house, I found her pale and clutching her chest. We hurried to the hospital, my frustration boiling over. This was the final straw. I was fed up with Jessica’s parties and her lack of respect for her neighbors. Something had to change.

So the following Friday, as Jessica’s party started again, I decided enough was enough. I parked my car strategically to block in the guests’ cars. If they wanted to ruin my peace, I’d return the favor.

A few hours later, there was a loud knock on my door. I opened it to find Jessica, her face red with anger. “Susan, move your car! You’ve blocked everyone in!” she yelled.

I crossed my arms and stood firm. “No, Jessica. I’ve had enough of your parties and the inconvenience they cause. This is my driveway, and I’m not moving my car.”

She stared at me, stunned. “If you don’t move your car, I’ll call the police!” she threatened.

I shrugged, feeling a strange sense of satisfaction. “Go ahead, call them. I’d love to explain to them how your guests have been blocking me in for weeks.”

Jessica’s eyes widened. She didn’t expect that response. She huffed and puffed, clearly frustrated. “You’re being unreasonable, Susan.”

“Unreasonable?” I echoed. “For four weeks, I’ve put up with this nonsense! Last week, I almost couldn’t get to my mom who needed to go to the hospital! This stops now!”

Jessica stomped her foot and stormed off. I watched her go and smiled to myself. If she called the police, nobody would’ve been happier than me. Jessica had no idea she had fallen into my trap. I closed the door and slumped on my living room couch.

A short while later, there was another knock on my door. This time, it was the police. I grabbed a beer from the fridge, took a sip, and tried to look a bit wobbly before answering. When I opened the door, an officer stood there, looking serious.

“Good evening, ma’am. We received a complaint about a blocked driveway,” he said, glancing at the beer in my hand. His name was Officer Miller.

I put on my best “tipsy” smile. “Oh, hey there, Officer! Jessica… oh, her parties! Her party guests have been blocking my driveway for weeks. Tonight, I decided to return the favor!”

Officer Miller sighed. “I understand your frustration, ma’am, but you need to move your car.”

I shook my head dramatically, almost stumbling for effect. “I’d love to help, Officer, but I’ve been drinkin’. Whoops!” I pretended to lose my balance and caught myself on the door frame. “Legally, I can’t drive right now.”

Officer Miller scratched his head. “Are you saying you’ve had enough to drink that you can’t safely operate your vehicle?”

I nodded with exaggerated seriousness. “Yes, sir! I’m parked legally in my own driveway. I can’t move my car without breakin’ the law. Safety first! Hic!” I added a hiccup for good measure. “Maybe wait until next Tuesday? I’m taking a long weekend!”

Jessica, standing nearby, fumed. “This is ridiculous! She’s doing this on purpose!”

Officer Miller turned to her, barely containing his laughter. “Ma’am, if she’s been drinking, she can’t drive. And as long as her car is legally parked on her property, there’s nothing we can do.”

Jessica’s face turned red with anger. “This isn’t fair!” she fumed.

I gave a mock salute with the beer bottle. Officer Miller looked at both of us, clearly trying not to laugh. “Alright, let’s all try to resolve this peacefully,” he said. Then to Jessica, he added, “Ma’am, you’ll need to make sure your guests don’t block Ms. Susan’s driveway in the future.”

Jessica stormed off, muttering under her breath. I closed the door and leaned against it, grinning. Maybe now, things would change for the better. Who knew acting tipsy could be so effective?

But it wasn’t over yet. The next morning, I decided to visit the local police station to file a formal complaint. As I walked in, who should I run into but Officer Miller. He recognized me immediately.

“Well, good morning, Ma’am,” he said with a friendly smile. “What brings you here today?”

I explained the situation and showed him the videos I had taken of Jessica’s guests repeatedly parking in my driveway. Officer Miller watched the videos intently, nodding in agreement.

“This is solid evidence,” he said. “Let’s go have a chat with your neighbor.”

We went over to Jessica’s house together. She was outside, looking flustered when she saw us approaching. “Morning, Ms. Williams,” Officer Miller greeted her. “We need to talk about your guests’ parking habits.”

Jessica’s face turned red. “What now?” she snapped.

Officer Miller remained calm. “We’ve reviewed some evidence, and it’s clear your guests have been parking illegally in Ms. Tanner’s driveway multiple times. I’m issuing fines for the illegal parking, and you’ll need to compensate Ms. Tanner for the inconvenience and moral damages.”

Jessica’s anger and embarrassment were evident. “Stop it, Susan! This is not right!” she protested.

“Maybe next time, you’ll think twice before letting your guests block someone’s driveway,” I said, unable to hide my satisfaction.

Jessica grumbled something quietly and stormed back inside. The neighbors soon heard about what happened and found it amusing. No one ever parked in my driveway again. Meanwhile, my mom recovered, and I finally enjoyed my driveway in peace.

Sometimes, you have to stand up to entitled people and show them that their actions have consequences. It took a bit of planning and patience, but in the end, I got my sweet revenge and peace of mind.