Two tow trucks were in front of our home, workers preparing to remove our vehicles without prior notice. When we rushed outside, we found Lindsey watching quietly from her yard, appearing more satisfied than surprised. That expression faded when the tow operators examined a discreet windshield sticker and immediately stepped back. Jack informed them calmly that our vehicles were federally exempt. The workers unhooked the chains, explaining that local rules did not apply in this case. Lindsey’s confidence dissolved instantly. She questioned the tow operators, but their answer was firm: they could not legally move the vehicles.
With a pale expression and abrupt retreat, she slipped back into her house, leaving the workers to pack up and drive away. The incident ended as quickly as it had begun, but the shift in the neighborhood was noticeable. Other residents, perhaps aware of what happened, became friendlier and more welcoming. In the days that followed, Jack and I settled into our routine, occasionally catching Lindsey’s curtains move as she peeked outside. The experience soon turned into one of those stories we laughed about—a reminder that assumptions can lead to embarrassing misunderstandings and that authority, when misused, tends to collapse under its own weight.
