His coworker watched.
Then:
“Is that your HOA lady?”
“Yes.”
“Dumping swamp water into your backyard?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I have no idea.”
The coworker looked again.
“She knows you have cameras?”
“Apparently not.”
The homeowner saved the clip in three places.
He called county environmental services.
The woman answering asked:
“Do you know what the liquid is?”
“No.”
“Any strong chemical odor?”
“No.”
“Petroleum sheen?”
“Not that I can tell.”
“Dead vegetation?”
“Yes.”
“Can you avoid washing it away until inspector sees?”
“Yes.”
“Can you send video?”
“Yes.”
Then he called police non-emergency.
An officer came that evening.
Watched video.
Looked at fence.
Asked:
“Did she enter yard?”
“Not in this clip.”
“Bucket crossed fence.”
“Yes.”
“Do you know contents?”
“No.”
The officer took report.
“Could be criminal mischief depending damage.”
“Could be environmental.”
“County will handle that part.”
The homeowner asked:
“What do I do if she comes back?”
“Call us.”
Two days later, she did.
But this time, he was home.
It was Saturday.
Hot.
He had spent the morning cleaning the pool.
By early afternoon he was swimming.
Black Batman-themed trunks with yellow bat symbols.
A gift from his nephew.
Ridiculous.
Comfortable.
His phone buzzed on the patio.
Camera alert.
He glanced.
The HOA President.
Side gate.
He immediately got out.
Did not dry.
He watched from behind the patio wall as she unlocked the gate.
That made him pause.
Unlocked.
His gate required a key from outside.
He had not given her one.
She used something in her hand.
The gate opened.
She entered carrying a white bucket nearly full of gray water.
The homeowner’s anger shifted.
This was no longer somebody leaning over a fence.
She was inside.
She closed the gate behind her.
Looked toward house.
Then moved across the grass.
The homeowner stepped from behind the patio wall.
“What are you doing?”
She nearly dropped the bucket.
Water splashed across her shoes.
For one second her face showed pure fear.
Then authority returned.
“What are you doing out here?”
He stared.
“This is my backyard.”
“I’m conducting association maintenance.”
“With a bucket of dirty water?”
“It’s drainage testing.”
He looked at bucket.
Dead leaves floating.
“Drainage testing.”
“Yes.”