This is going to be an exciting read, so pour yourself a cup of coffee and sit down.I never imagined the day would come when karma would catch up with me, but boy, did it ever. This is going to be an exciting read, so pour yourself a cup of coffee and sit down.Allow me to introduce myself first. I’m Linda; I’m a forty-year-old English teacher at a high school who lives with my father-in-law Richard and my husband Tom.Tom and I have been together since college and have been married for fifteen amazing years. Before Richard moved in with us almost two years ago following the death of my mother-in-law, everything was going really well .Now, Richard isn’t the most pleasant person to be around. He believes he is the expert on everything and has opinions on just about everything. Although there has always been some tension in our relationship, I have done everything in my power to make it work for Tom. Living together, however, has been, to put it mildly, difficult.Since Tom and I don’t have kids, I’ve dedicated years of my life to our backyard. My tiny bit of paradise was a verdant grass encircled by vibrant flower beds that I had grown from seedlings. After a demanding day of educating grumpy teenagers, gardening became my passion, my haven, and my go-to method for relaxing.I would be out there every weekend and free moment, taking care of my plants and enjoying their growth and splendor. It was what kept me occupied, content, and sane—it was more than simply a pastime. However, Richard? His intentions for my haven were different. It began rather casually. When we were wrapping up dinner one evening, Richard cleared his throat. “Linda, Tom, I’ve been thinking.” I glanced across at Tom. Richard’s remarks usually signaled trouble. “The backyard,” Richard went on, “is simply sitting there. It’s time to install a pool.”I almost swallowed my water. “A swimming pool? Where would we even put it, Richard? The backyard isn’t that large.His hand was waved off dismissively. “We’ll adjust it to fit. You know, while the two of you are at work, I get bored. I would love having a pool with my buddies. Particularly on these sweltering summer days.” God bless him, Tom tried talking sense into his father’s head. “Dad, Linda has worked really hard in the garden. It is not possible to just take out all of the lovely blooms. A pool also comes with a lot of maintenance and price. You really can’t do it, in my opinion.”Richard, though, would not have it. He would bring it up at every chance he got for weeks. “Linda, imagine how nice it would be to cool off on hot days,” and “Tom, think of the pool parties we could have!”I refused to back down. I apologize, Richard, but it’s just not feasible. My garden is my passion, but the yard is too tiny. You cannot dig a pool there, in my opinion. It isn’t taking place. That seemed to be the end of it to me. However, I was mistaken. This was only the start.Tom and I made the decision to go see my parents one weekend. Nice change from Richard’s nonstop chatter about the pool. We planned to return Sunday evening, so we departed early on Saturday morning.I felt something was wrong that Sunday as we arrived into our house after a wonderful day with my folks. There were muddy tire tracks all over the front yard. As we turned the bend into the backyard, my stomach churned. I had eyes I couldn’t believe. There was a huge hole where my lovely garden used to be. It was surrounded by mounds of dirt, and most of my meticulously cultivated flowers were vanished. < Richard stood in the center of it all, beaming like he had just won the lotto. “Oh, finally decided to come back, have you?” He was snarky. “I’ve put you in the pool. Please don’t thank me.I was unable to speak. But Tom let loose with an explosive. “Daddy! How inconceivable could you have been? We warned you about doing this.”Richard simply gave a shrug. “After it’s over, you’ll thank me. On the diggers, I scored a fantastic deal.” Tears began to form in my eyes. In one weekend, my own father-in-law undid all of my hard work. How could he not see how much my plants meant to me? How come he destroyed my lovely garden?Tom wrapped his arm around me and ushered me inside after noticing my silent tears.“Linda, I’ll handle him. He said, “Please don’t worry about it.” “There will be no pool built by him, I promise. And your plants… I’ll get a skilled gardener to help me makeover the backyard to your ideal state. Alright? Please refrain from crying.” I awoke the following morning believing it had all been a bad dream. However, a quick glance out the window proved the nightmare was genuine. It was the diggers again.Karma chose to see Richard while they were working, and that’s when I saw our neighbor, Mrs. Jensen, strolling her small dog, Buster. Mrs. Jensen had never been good friends with Richard and was a stickler for rules and regulations. She surprised me by approaching Richard directly and grinning sweetly. She said, “Richard, darling, did you know there are regulations about how close you can dig to a property line?” in an overly charming voice. Richard sneered. Margaret, I know what I’m doing. Keep your distance from me.”Mrs. Jensen grinned more broadly. “Well, you should be aware that I’m really close with the city inspector. I’ll phone him and find out his thoughts. I observed Richard’s face losing its color. Before he could object, Mrs. Jensen was conversing on her phone. An hour later, a city inspector showed up at our door. After glancing at the disorderliness in our backyard, he shook his head. I apologize, sir, but this is entirely against the code of conduct. You will need to complete this right away. Sputtering, Richard said, “But… but…” The inspector had not been completed. “And I’m afraid I’ll have to issue a fine for starting construction without proper permits.”It was unbelievable to me. Karma existed and it was at full force. But there’s still more. A loud crack appeared as the contractors began to fill in the hole. All of a sudden, water started to flow everywhere. They had apparently struck an ancient water pipe! Our property consequently swiftly became a muddy bog. Richard, poor Richard, slid a few minutes later and plunged face-first into the muck. Tom and I observed the mayhem from the porch. Richard was screaming at the contractors while completely soaked in mud. His ideal garden retreat was practically disappearing, and his favorite suit was destroyed.Ultimately, Richard was responsible for covering all costs, such as the fine, pipe repairs, backyard repairs, and basement cleanup. It was an expensive lesson in following the laws and being considerate of other people’s property. Richard’s enthusiasm for home renovations disappeared after that day. These days, he stays in his room by himself most of the time. He turns his nose up at the mention of the word “pool” and walks out of the room. In my garden, I’ve been able to replant most of it, but it took some time. It’s even better today, in a way. Every blossom seems like a tiny triumph over Richard’s foolish schemes. In addition, Mrs. Jensen is now a close friend. She always gives me a wink and says, “I hope nobody’s digging up a pool in your backyard,” when she sees me tending to the garden.Tom and I continue to chuckle at the entire incident. We now always tell this anecdote at dinner parties. “Did we ever tell you about the time Richard tried to build a pool?” Tom will begin, and our friends take their seats to hear the story. In retrospect, I’m appreciative of the opportunity. It did more than just impart a priceless lesson to Richard; it strengthened my bond with Tom. He supported me the entire time, demonstrating that our relationship could withstand any adversity. Thus, keep this in mind if you ever have to deal with a challenging family member who disregards your limits: karma may be lurking in the shadows, just waiting to strike.