Benjamin Smith
Benjamin couldn’t move, he was beyond horrified and embarrassed as his head hung low. How could his neighbor do this to him? He knew that the hundreds of tires in his yard looked bad, but they were there for a good reason.
He was determined to get his revenge. He was going to make sure that his neighbor felt the same level of shame that he was feeling at this very moment. He never thought that in two years’ time, he would be able to get his revenge. His neighbor would never see it coming.
He Struggled
Benjamin Smith lived an ordinary life in an ordinary town. He adored his work as a carpenter, and he was well-known in his community. He was living a comfortable life, and he enjoyed every second of it.
He loved his community, and he would do anything in his power to help others out. But little did he know what life had in store for him.
Saturday Morning
Throughout the years, Benjamin learned how to take care of himself. He put every dollar he earned towards his bills and rent, and by the end of that, he wasn’t left with much. He knew what it was like to struggle in life.
But one day, when he stumbled across a bunch of abandoned tires in his small town, he had no idea what was coming his way.
They Stared
It was a warm, Saturday morning and Benjamin was strolling around town. It’s something he did often. He loved taking walks to clear his mind. As he was walking, he started noticing the abandoned tires scattered around every street he passed.
Benjamin had no idea that these tires were about to change his life forever.
Like Clockwork
Benjamin walked over to one of the tires and picked it up, and with as much effort as he could muster, he rolled it all the way back home. The people he passed on the way stared in confusion. What was he doing?
He paid no mind to the stares and fingers pointed at him, he was determined to get the tire home. He thought to himself, “These people staring, they have no idea what’s coming to them.”
Small Yard
As the days followed, like clockwork, he would get up and go for a walk to retrieve another tire and take it back home with him.
Every time he would do it, townspeople would stare at him, dumbfounded. “Why would somebody want a dirty old tire?” They gossiped about him relentlessly, but Benjamin didn’t mind. They didn’t know what he was up to, but he had a goal in mind.
Antony
Weeks passed, and slowly but surely, Benjamin’s yard began filling with tires. His yard was small, and with all of the tires, it seemed even smaller.
But Benjamin wasn’t too focused on the mess, he knew that it would be worth it by the end. But he had no idea that one person on his street wasn’t happy about his yard at all.
A Hard Life
His neighbor, Antony, wasn’t happy with the tires in his yard. He made fun of Benjamin, insulting him by saying, “You obviously don’t have a big enough house.” He always seemed to have a smug smile on his face.
This would make Benjamin feel beyond embarrassed as shame washed over him. His neighbor’s nasty comments stung his heart. But soon, Antony would regret his cruelty.
Free Time
Benjamin never really owned any material possessions. As a young boy, his family wasn’t well off at all, and in his adult life, he never seemed to catch a break.
When Antony started belittling him because of the tires in his yar, it sparked a fire within him. He was now determined to prove his nasty neighbor wrong. He was going to prove them all wrong.
Finally Finished
As a carpenter, Benjamin had a lot of free time on his hands, especially in the last few weeks. During this time, he decided to start experimenting with designs and furniture pieces, which he enjoyed.
It was a hot, Friday afternoon and he had now collected so many unwanted tires. He finally started working on his plan. No one would see this coming.
A Transformation
Benjamin had spent the weekend breaking a sweat and working away at his new design, using the unwanted tries.
When he was finally finished he let out a sigh of relief and wiped away the sweat that dribbled down his forehead. It was finally completed! And the end result would leave everybody lost for words.
Someone Wasn’t Happy
Benjamin had transformed the old unwanted tires into tables, stools, and armchairs! Their finished look was truly beautiful! And as expected, they took off!
Within a year of releasing and selling his new items, he made four times as much as what he used to make! It was incredible! But despite his success, Benjamin had no idea someone was about to come and rain on his parade.
Two Years Of Success
Benjamin didn’t know it at the time, but somebody was watching Benjamin revel in his success and achievements.
They had been watching his every move, envious of what he had accomplished. And they weren’t too happy about it.
An Unwanted Visitor
The next two years flew by, and Benjamin and his creations had gone from strength to strength. He had gone national, with numerous towns 100 miles away wanting a piece of Benjamin’s furniture.
But when Benjamin kicked back and relaxed one Friday evening after a long week of work, he heard a knock at his door. He got up to answer, and as soon as he saw who it was he stood frozen in his tracks.
I Need A Job
As Benjamin opened the door to the unexpected visitor, his mouth dropped wide open to see it was none other than Antony.
It was the neighbor who had ridiculed him. The neighbor who chipped away at his self-confidence. What did he want? What was he doing here? When Benjamin found out the truth, he was lost for words.
What Would He Do?
“I need a job” Antony slowly muttered, avoiding all eye contact with Benjamin; the man he had ridiculed two years ago. “I want in on your business,” he said.
Hearing this Benjamin felt joy from within. “You really expect me to do that?” Benjamin asked. “Please” Antony replied, begging. And for some strange reason, a smile crept up Benjamin’s face.
The Best Kind Of Revenge
Benjamin didn’t know what to do. On one hand, he wanted to shut the door on his face and head back into the living room.
And then, on the other hand, he wanted to give his neighbor the benefit of the doubt; he was begging, so clearly he was desperate. What Benjamin did next left the neighbor just as humiliated as he made him two years ago. He had it coming.
Holes Out Of Nowhere
He simply responded with a quiet “no,” and shut the door in his face. After that, he went back to his living room and enjoyed watching the football on his brand new plasma screen TV.
You see Benjamin forgave, but he didn’t forget. He sipped on his ice-cold beer and he knew that revenge sure did taste sweet. But this wasn’t the first time a strange project in a yard drew the curiosity of all the neighbors…
Nosy Neighbor
She went to bed with a lovely view of the green yard next door, but the next day, she was awoken to the sound of her new neighbor drilling a bunch of holes in the ground.
It wasn’t her property, and she hated to stick her nose in where it wasn’t wanted. All they could do was watch as the events unfold.
Special Delivery
It could have been anything. Maybe a septic tank problem? Pest infestation? Jill Thompson stood at her bedroom window scratching their head as more holes appeared in her neighbor’s yard. What was he doing?
She was tempted to find out what he was up to, but when she saw him digging dirt out of the ground with his bare hands, she was too scared to even ask.
The Plot Thickens
Jill hadn’t met the man personally yet, but she had waved to him from across the street when she saw him moving in.
One morning, an old, rusty truck backed up to the man’s property. Jill and a few other curious residents watched as long parcels were unloaded from the vehicle. What was he doing over there?
Cute Alert
A few days later, Jill realized that the delivery had been several wooden posts. He was building something!
The posts protruded out of the holes in an odd formation like some kind of druid monument, which puzzled Jill and the other onlookers. Then they noticed a new addition to the construction team that caught their eye.
Young Apprentice
As the diligent man continued to work on the strange project, a young boy emerged from the house and came over to join him.
“That must be his son,” said Jill to the other neighbors. But the question still remained: what were they doing in the backyard that required so many holes and wooden posts?
Pile of Rocks
The neighbors were all now fascinated by what was going on in the man’s backyard. They watched as the young boy fetched materials and tools for the man – the kid was certainly eager to help get the project done.
He even picked out some weeds and carried some big stones in his tiny hands. It was a very cute sight to watch the miniature workman in action – but still no answers.
Strong Foundations
At this point, it almost seemed a shame to ask what they were building as it became a hot topic in the neighborhood to try to guess what they father-son duo was working on.
With the wooden posts now all upright – like ridged soldiers made of wood – a huge pile of gravel that appeared in the man’s yard further confused the curious residents. But they started to get a clearer idea of what was going on.
Basic Structure
It appeared that the man and his son had been working on the foundations for some kind of structure. But for what?
Not a lot happened in their sleepy suburban street, so Jill enjoyed concocting theories as to what was been built. With foundations this strong, how tall was this thing going to be exactly? Was it going to ruin the aesthetics of the well-kept neighborhood?
Helping Hands
Before long, more lumber and construction materials arrived at the house and it became clearer that the man was building something ambitious.
But it wasn’t just nails, screws, hooks, and mounting brackets that were arriving at the property, there were some new faces turning up too. But who were they and why did he need so much help?
New Additions
Jill and her neighbors heard a lot of commotion coming from the yard as more laborers piled in. Before long, the structure seemed at least halfway completed. They couldn’t wait to find out what it was.
Now the project was really taking shape and Jill could see some very specific features that gave clues as to what the final results were going to be.
Ahhhh! We Get It!
More recognizable elements of the structure started to emerge – a floor and a set of stairs. Now it was beginning to take shape.
More hints fell into place and the puzzle became more complete. Was it a small storage hut? It became apparent that the man and his team knew what they were doing, but what was the end goal?
Winter Closing In
Autumn had arrived. Kids were getting ready to go back to school and the leaves were changing from green to beautiful shades of brown and red.
The project still wasn’t finished. However, enough of it had been completed that Jill finally knew what was going on, and they were all very excited! Perhaps this was something they could all share?
Spring Ahead
Then came the bad news. Just when Jill and her neighbors thought the project was finally about to be revealed, the man had put away his tools and materials and covered it all up.
Since the weather was getting colder and construction was getting harder, it looked like he would have to wait until next spring to complete his many months of work.
Easy Access
Fast forward to next spring and the man had finally started things up again. He peeled back the weathered tarps, got out his tools, and pulled out the rest of the wood that had been in storage.
Neighbors soon started peering over the fence again. The area took on the familiar sounds of banging, drilling, and sawing. By summer, they would finally get to see what it was.
Impressive Results
Since moving in, the man and his family had enjoyed an above-ground pool for a while, but getting in and out with the flimsy ladder wasn’t just awkward, it was dangerous for their son.
The father had decided enough was enough and they needed a new deck for easier access. So, how did his DIY skills work out?
Finishing Touches
The end result was something stunning – a professional contractor couldn’t have done a better job. A year of wondering what they were looking at had come to an end – Jill and her neighbors were really very impressed.
Sturdy beams held the floor in place, seams were met perfectly, angles were carefully measured, and all edges were beveled for decoration. As if that wasn’t enough, the family added a few finishing touches to turn it into something out of a magazine.
Truth About DIY
A coat of sealant was added to protect it from adverse weather and keep it pristine for years to come.
They also added a set of grey and brown deck chairs and tables so they could lounge in the sun after a cool swim. Jill took some notes. She’d learned a thing or two from watching this DIY project in action.
Less Expensive
A project like this isn’t something to take on lightly. A lot of people think they can nail a few boards together and knock up something like this in a few months.
But that couldn’t be further from the truth – you need time. It also takes a lot of know-how and practice, as well as learning from mistakes. But there is some good news for budding DIY-ers.
Proud Feeling
Doing your own construction, even small fixes around the house, can save you a ton of money.
For example, a plumber costs hundreds but replacing your own toilet pump can come in at under $50. Painting your own walls is another cheap project you can do on your own that gets big results. But there’s more to DIY than just saving money.
It’s no secret that there’s a large amount of pride attached to accomplishing something yourself – especially when you get to gaze upon your creation every day.
Start with small things and slowly move to bigger endeavors. There is an enormous amount of information out there for free. With time, you could be building your own luxury deck … Even your own pool!