The Camera
Karen Whitmore had been threatening me for weeks.
The reason was a security camera mounted above my garage.
According to Karen, the camera violated Cedar Grove Homeowners Association rules because it faced the street.
According to the actual HOA handbook, it did not.
My name is Nathan Cole. I was forty-three, divorced, with a son away at college and a home office that looked completely ordinary from the outside.
The camera covered my driveway, the sidewalk immediately in front of my property, and a small section of the public street.
It did not point into anyone's windows.
It did not record Karen's backyard.
It did not even capture her front door unless she deliberately walked into my driveway.
So when her first violation notice arrived, I expected nonsense.
The heading read:
UNAUTHORIZED EXTERIOR SURVEILLANCE DEVICE
I read it twice.
Then I pulled out the HOA handbook.
The rule Karen cited applied to cameras mounted on common-area structures.
Mine was mounted on my own garage.
I emailed the management company.
They agreed with me.
Karen sent another violation anyway.
Then another.
The third included a $150 fine.
I disputed it.
The management company removed the fine.
The following afternoon, Karen appeared at my front door with a red folder pressed against her chest.
“You embarrassed me.”
I stared at her.
“What?”
“You went around the board.”
“I contacted the management company listed on the violation notice.”
“You knew exactly what you were doing.”
“Yes.”
I smiled.
“I was disputing a violation.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“That camera needs to come down.”
“No.”
“It records the street.”
“So do half the doorbell cameras in this neighborhood.”
“That one is different.”
That stopped me.
“How?”
“It’s higher.”