Jack and I had just moved into a small rental house for a temporary work assignment. It wasn’t fancy, but it was peaceful — or so we thought.

On our first night, we met Lindsey, our overly cheerful neighbor. She greeted us with cookies and a strict warning about the local HOA rule: only one car per driveway, no exceptions. Since we had two cars, we explained our stay was temporary, but she just smiled and reminded us that “rules are rules.”

A few days later, we woke to the sound of tow trucks — both our cars were being hauled away. Lindsey stood across the street in her robe, sipping coffee and smiling proudly.

Jack and I didn’t argue. Instead, I calmly pointed out a small sticker on our car — a subtle mark Lindsey hadn’t noticed. Her confident smile faded.

The next morning, a black SUV pulled up in front of her house. A suited agent knocked on her door and revealed the truth: she had unknowingly ordered the towing of government-marked vehicles, disrupting an undercover operation and causing $25,000 in damages.

Lindsey was stunned, her coffee mug slipping from her hands. The agent warned her to stay put and wait for further instructions.

As Jack and I headed home, I gave her one last piece of advice: “Next time, just stick to baking cookies.”

For the rest of the day, Lindsey’s blinds stayed shut — and so did her opinions about everyone’s driveway.