And that was exactly how it should be.
Anyone standing on their own porch deserved the same protection.
A schoolteacher.
Mechanic.
Nurse.
Accountant.
Grandmother.
Twenty year old first time homeowner.
Nobody should have to be a combat veteran to say:
No, you cannot have a key to my house.
That became the part of the story I cared about most.
Years later, people would still occasionally recognize my name locally.
“Arthur Vance?”
Sometimes.
“Are you the HOA key guy?”
Unfortunately.
One man approached me in a hardware store.
“I saw your story.”
I nodded.
“My HOA wants emergency entry codes.”
I immediately said, “Talk to a lawyer.”
He laughed.
“I thought you’d tell me to fight them.”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“Because your documents are not my documents.”
He looked surprised.
“Read your rules. Ask questions. Get legal advice.”
That was less dramatic than he wanted.
But drama had almost killed someone on my porch.
