Jack and I had just settled into a small rental house in a quiet neighborhood for a short-term work assignment. The day after we moved in, a woman named Lindsey from across the street knocked on our door with a tray of cookies. Her smile was polite but felt forced. After a brief introduction, her tone quickly shifted she warned us about a supposed HOA rule that only allowed one vehicle per household in the driveway.

We explained that we were temporary tenants, both cars fit perfectly, and hadn’t seen such a rule in writing. But she insisted the regulation applied to everyone. A few mornings later, just before sunrise, we were jolted awake by the sounds of tow trucks in our driveway. Both our cars were being hoisted up and there stood Lindsey, watching with a smug expression. When we confronted her, she acted like she was simply enforcing the rules.