The night was exceptionally dark, with no moon illumining it. We were completing an all-day drive, returning home from summer vacation. There was a quiet sigh of relief as we turned the corner into our neighborhood. Soon home would be in sight, along with the two towering spruce trees that border our driveway. When the weather conditions are just right, their fragrance permeates our front yard, reminding me of the coniferous forests I so love.
As we approached the driveway, our headlights momentarily cut through the darkness, sweeping across those majestic trees. What I saw took my breath away: one of the spruces had been severely pruned. One-third of its lower boughs were gone, leaving a gaping hole between the needle-laden soil below and the branches above. Anger welled up within me. This time my neighbor had gone too far.
Trouble had been brewing across the lot line for some time, but I hadn't realized how serious it had become until that night. My neighbor had occasionally trimmed our flourishing hedge when it grew into her yard, but I had no idea she would go after our spruce tree.
