For two weeks straight, I cleaned up what I thought was dog poop from my doorstep, always in the same spot, always early in the morning. I blamed the neighbor’s dog and grumbled about irresponsible pet owners. But after enough frustration, I installed a video doorbell to catch the culprit.
What I saw left me speechless: it wasn’t a dog at all, IT WAS MY NEIGHBOR. A grown man. Using my doorstep as his personal bathroom. I reported it, but the police said their hands were tied. So I took a different route, I invited his wife over for a sunrise walk…
Cleaning up dog poop from my own doorstep every morning felt disgusting and infuriating. At first, I thought it was a one-time thing, a stray dog maybe. But then it kept happening almost every single day. I found myself cursing under my breath at the thoughtless neighbor who’d let their dog run wild. It was frustrating, having to deal with something so unpleasant in the mornings. I knew something had to change, but wasn’t sure what to do next.
I'd reached my limit and decided to take action. I didn’t know which neighbor's pet to blame, so I resorted to technology. I installed a doorbell camera, hoping to catch the infamous pooch and put an end to this mess. It felt odd, setting up what seemed like a mini-surveillance system for such a trivial reason, but I really wanted to get to the bottom of it. My curiosity was piqued, and I was ready for answers.
The next morning, I woke up and grimaced as I saw the ground smeared again. Gagging at the sight, I hurried inside to review the footage. What I saw made my skin crawl—it wasn’t a dog. It was my neighbor, Leo! He was crouching down and doing his business right on my doorstep. I was stunned, unable to process this bizarre behavior. How could someone do that? I had so many questions but needed a plan before confronting him.
With trembling hands, I called 911, hoping they could do something about this outrageous behavior. The operator sounded sympathetic but informed me it was a civil matter, not a criminal one. This wasn’t the answer I hoped for. Frustration surged through me as I realized I was on my own with this mess. Confronting Leo directly was out of the question—he was downright creepy, and I didn’t feel safe. I needed to think of another approach.
Deciding on my next move, I figured I’d bring Isabella into the loop. Leo’s wife seemed nice, and maybe she’d understand. I sent her a casual invite for an early sunrise walk, something different. I felt a little nervous; after all, this wasn’t usual neighbor chit-chat. My plan was simple: let Isabella see for herself and decide what to do next. If Leo’s antics were shocking to me, they’d surely be the same for her.
The next morning, as we strolled down the street, coffee cups in hand, I kept our conversation light. Isabella chuckled as she shared her gardening plans and upcoming book club ideas. I played along, nodding and smiling as if everything was fine. In the back of my mind, though, I was just waiting for the right moment. Leo had always given me weird vibes, and this was just confirming it. Today, Isabella was going to see why.