Fences and Friends

Gabriel Meeks is probably my best friend.  He and his family moved in next-door six years ago and ever since he and his wife brought over peanut butter bars to say hello, we’ve been like brothers, which is why it doesn’t bother me one bit to say this -I hate his dog. This isn’t a secret.  I’ve never NOT told him this in an attempt to save his feelings.  And, the truth is, he hates his dog too.  The only problem is, his kids love the ugly animal.  Lately we’ve given up on talking about the funny or cute things our children do, and have taken up plotting the demise of a dog so homely and so ludicrously obnoxious that only the pure spirit of God or a pair of girls aged 6 and 4 could ever love it.

The problem started 18 months ago when his two little girls befriended a neighborhood stray and began feeding it without their parents knowing.  Before anything could be done the girls were attached and would not be parted from the thing, which is how I’ve referred to it since it took its first crap on my yard.
This last spring, in an attempt to save our friendship, Gabe and I decided that maybe we should put a fence up between our yards to keep the dog on his property.  I thought it was a kind gesture and a good idea, so we agreed, but on a couple of conditions.  Neither of us wanted a big ugly chain link fence. One, I didn’t want to feel like I was living in the ghetto and two, I would still be able to see his ugly dog.  We also didn’t want a wooden fence, which would require all kinds of weatherproofing and maintenance.

In the end we went to Vinyl Industries for vinyl fencing. Utah fences have been made and installed by Vinyl Industries for over a decade.
We chose a fence that was both attractive and solid enough to hold his mangy dog.  Ever since then we wondered why we waited so long.  Both of us are happy with how beautiful our yards are now, and if I don’t want to, I never have to see his dog.  Another friendship saved by fencing.