Gemotions

The request was delivered via a handwritten note: "The pine is making my pool too shady." John crumpled the paper in his fist, the words burning like acid. He hated Mr. Bradley, the man's constant drone of complaints.

He decided on the perfect solution. He would not cut the tree, no. He would not remove it. He would, however, alter the conditions.

He spent the next few weeks secretly watering the tree, and the grass around it, with fertilizer. He wanted the pine to be as big and healthy as possible. The more the tree grew, the more it would block the sun.