The Ladder Next Door
(Saturday morning in Portland. Owen knocks on the blue door next door.)
Owen: Morning. Can I borrow your ladder?
Neighbor: Sure. What for?
Owen: My fence. The top board is on the grass, and the hole is above my head.
Neighbor: The wind last night?
Owen: Yeah. A low board came off too. Now my dog can walk out.
Neighbor: That's not good.
(The neighbor gets the ladder from the garage and carries it into Owen's garden.)
Neighbor: I'll hold it. It's better with two people.
Owen: Thanks. Don't let go.
(Owen climbs up and puts the top board back, and then he fixes the low board too.)
Owen: There. It's good now.
Neighbor: Nice work. You can keep the ladder.
Owen: Keep it? Why?
Neighbor: My fence is next.