What's your Homeowners Association horror story? Well, here it goes. It's not my story, but my

dads. When I was real little, my parents owned a house in Florida that was part of a homeowners

association. Behind the house was a lagoon or pond or whatever, and the backyard went right up to it.

Basically, the backyard ended at a little slope that went right down into the water. One day,

my parents got a notification from the HOA that the grass in the back was unkempt and this was a

violation and there would be a fine if he didn't cut it. What they meant was the grass on the slope

into the pond needed to be cut, even though that wasn't a part of the property. My dad said,

whatever, broke out the lawnmower and got to work.

Just as he was finishing up, a huge frickin alligator comes rushing up out of the water. My dad does

the only logical thing. He lets go of the lawnmower and runs. The mower runs down the slope,

hits the alligator, most likely teeing it off, and sinks halfway into the water.

My dad leaves it there because he ain't going to mess with no scaly death machine. A week or so later,

another notice arrives, this time about yard tools being left out, the mower in the pond,

surrounded by agitated miniature water dragons. And yes, there was a fine. Dad said, screw them and refused to pay a fine or

any HOA choose ever again. They added monthly fines for non-payment. Made a point of specifically

never paying the HOA every month when he gave the mortgage to the bank. The bank didn't care

since they got their money. Who cares about some crappy board? About a year later,

when my parents sold the house, the HOA came to collect. Guess what my dad said? That's right,

he said, F-Raf, take my payment out of the lawnmower, if the gator lets you. Then they drove off

into the sunset. As far as we know, the lawnmower is still there in the water, guarded by scary dinosaurs.

I had just moved into my house a few months prior, when I got a letter threatening to be fined

$200, stating that my mailbox wasn't black.

...