I first noticed the problem on a Tuesday morning: an orange extension cord snaking out of my neighbor Ron’s garage and plugged straight into the outlet behind my house. When I confronted him, he just shrugged and laughed, telling me it was “only pennies.” The dismissive tone annoyed me enough that I went out and bought a lockable cover for the socket.
The next day, I opened my mailbox and found a note that stopped me cold:
“You’re colder than your electricity, mate.”
At first, I was furious. Then… strangely guilty.
Ron had lived next door for years. We used to grill together, swap tools, talk about sports — until the day his wife passed. After that, he folded into himself. His garage became his world, and even when I tried to check in, he kept the door — and the conversation — barely cracked open.
So when I saw that extension cord, I reacted out of irritation instead of curiosity.
But that note sat heavy on my mind.....
