I've learned a lot over the past few days. Tuesday we got back from Vegas and work started right back up again, kicking my ass. When I got home, tired and hungry and grumpy, I saw my trashcan on the curb with FrankenNeighbor's other two. Something in me snapped. I don't need the trashcan, but dammit, I didn't want him to have it. So I marched over at 9pm and dragged the can into my shed in the back yard, still full of pinestraw and limbs and lots of other things that should be recycled and not thrown away. I felt vindicated.

Daddy came over later and broght me a lock for my shed. And I wrote my name prominently on the lid of my trashcan. And just to rub it in, I didn't put my can out for the trash. Let him wonder where his can went. When Daddy came over to retrieve his lawn mower that same night (about 11pm), he said that FrankenNeighbor was hiding in the bushes watching. Amazing.

Well, I wasn't really sure what I was going to do with this can. I couldn't use it at this property seeing as it was across the street from him and he would freak out. And I didn't need two cans. So I was apparently going to chop it up and take it away in pieces or have my father drive it off weeks from now. Remember, the can is still full of trash in my shed.

I'm talking to the Puddin' Wednesday night and he says something to the effect of "be careful with him." I laugh him off as being paranoid. But in the back of my head I wondered if he was right.

Thursday morning I wake up and go out to my car to find my front license plate has been taken. Not lost, but removed. I'm instantly livid. This furious behavior on my part continues for most of the morning. I call and tell my father and he says that we just need to "wait it out". I'm not sure what that means. This whole pissing match over a trashcan is leaving me feeling pretty crappy. I don't have time or energy for this. As the morning progresses, I realize that I'm behaving like an ass. I'm doing things that aren't in my nature. And in reality I'm not much better than FrankenNeighbor.

So I talked to Rich about it that morning and decided to make things right. I took my lunch break and drove home. I talked to the Bride of FrankenNeighbor and told her that I took her trashcan and that I was sorry. That I felt like an ass and I took it out of righteous indignation and that was petty. And I'm not a petty person. So I was returning it. She looked confused at first, but when she realized I wasn't coming over to bitch was very receptive. In the end, I mentioned that my license plate was missing and asked her to keep an eye out for it. And I told her that I hoped we could be friends and that I hadn't screwed up and made an enemy of her over a stupid trashcan. She laughed and said it was all fine.

So FrankenNeighbor is still an ass and a thief. But I don't care. A trashcan is not worth my car possibly getting keyed or having to look over my shoulder all the time. My cat goes in their yard and I don't want to have to wonder if she'll come home in one piece or "disappear" one day. Because I would lose my mind if something happened to the black goddess. So I felt really good about myself, went inside and snuggled my cat, telling her I possibly saved her life today. And went to the bank to deposit my Vegas cash on the way back to work.

So I didn't make over on anybody but I think I broke even and learned a lot more about myself and what type of person I am in the process.