HOA

fiction

Just some quick housekeeping, I noticed that in the email the tag doesn't post at the top like it does on the site. So I'll be adding a note if it's fiction so those of you that don't care for my fiction stuff can delete post haste. Now onto to the story...

She could see the note tacked to her door as she turned into her driveway. The only person it could be from was Rachel. Rachel, the head of the HOA. It was always a note from Rachel. Always a reminder to do something or not do something.

She took the note down, brought it inside, and put it on the counter in the kitchen. She'd deal with it after she put away the food. She had some meat in the bag that she wanted to get salted and ready for the grill for dinner. The note could wait.

Her husband wandered into the kitchen to greet her.

"Have you been here the whole time?"

"Well, yes, where else would I be? You said you didn't need help."

"No, it's not that. There was a note from Rachel on the door. Why would she leave a note instead of just talking to you?"

"Why would Rachel leave a passive aggressive note on our door instead of knocking and talking to us like a mature adult? Is that what you are asking me?"

"Okay, when you say it like that I see how ridiculous I sound."

"What have we done to offend her this time?"

"I don't know, I haven't read it yet. I wanted to take care of the food first."

"That sounds like perfect priorities. What else did you get?" He started to look through the bag and found the raspberries. "Were you holding out on me? Yum!"

"Well I was thinking they could be for dessert but sure, they can be a snack too. There are a few other things in there as well that could use putting away. And I don't mean in your stomach!"

"Fine, did you want to write me a note about it?"

She laughed and then shook her head, "I mean, I know that she has to be extremely lonely since..."

Her husband looked a little chagrined, "Since Gary."

"Yeah. But come on, we are all doing our best here."

"Well, might as well see what she wants us to do."

Dear Neighbors,

It has come to my attention that some of you are running your generators outside of the allotted times. Please remember that we have quiet hours between 10 PM and 6 AM and the generators do not meet the definition of quiet. If you need to have an exception please contact the board so we can add you to the review panel meeting, otherwise please be a considerate neighbor and maintain the quiet hours.

Thank you,

Rachel Obermann
(This is a community wide notice)

"Oh my god, this is because Gloria ran out of firewood last week, what was she supposed to do let her kids freeze?"

"Community standards must be maintained, doncha know."

She shook her head and went back to skinning and salting the rabbit she caught for dinner. She tried to think again of how lonely Rachel must be since Gary was taken by the secret police. But it was difficult to maintain her sympathy, of all the things to survive the downfall of civilization she couldn't believe the HOA was one of them.