Living In Fear
Vera could no longer handle it. It was unbearable for her to deal with people who were coming and going from her property every day.
She had no idea what to do. The kids were just kids, but that didn't make them any less dangerous. However, Vera was still afraid for her life. She waited for the day that they would harm her.
She Was Alone
For most of her life, Vera Jenkins lived in Fort Worth, Texas. She was alone now, and that was the only difference. Vera's husband, Bob passed away years ago, and she was able to support herself on her own.
The situation was becoming more difficult as she grew older, and people trespassed on her and Bob's farm, which didn't help.
Their Dream Home
When they acquired Harmony Place in 1987, Vera and Bob felt the same way immediately upon stepping foot on the property.
There was nowhere better to spend their retirement years together, and it was what they'd always dreamed of. The couple, however, did not have everything go according to plan.
Working Hard
As Bob and Vera never had children, Vera carried on the work they used to do together at the farm when he passed away.
As soon as the sun rose in the sky, Vera was up. The cows had to be led to pasture, and chickens had to be fed. Somebody had to do it, even if it was hard work.
Getting Difficult
Despite her reputation as a strong woman, Vera noticed that it had become increasingly difficult for her to do certain things as she approached 76 years old.
Gardening and walking through the farm's vast acres of land, two of her favorite hobbies, were no longer possible for her. Her garden was overgrown with weeds as a result of neglect.
Getting Older
Her situation wasn't hopeless, however. There was still grass growing around the farm that could be mowed by the lawn mower. In spite of the fact that she took a long time to accomplish everything, she always managed to do it all.
After Vera's knees began to deteriorate, she was advised to use a walking stick.
In Trouble
It was inevitable that it would come to that eventually, and she simply accepted it as part of her fate. When she took a step, the stick helped ease the pressure on her knees.
However, Vera now faced a difficult situation. It was going to be tough for her to maintain her farm with less and less mobility.
Something Moving
Her plants at least got some water, thanks to her walking around her house and getting the hose. Her eye caught sight of something as she stood in the blistering sun.
A shadow moved in the long grass, and she was sure she saw something. Upon looking, it had stopped. She wondered if it was a fox.
The Teenage Boys
Vera saw them as she was doing her chores outside the next day. A group of four teenage boys walked toward her property. A backpack was on their backs, and their clothes looked like they'd been worn for a long time.
The first thing she thought was that they were passing by, but then they walked on her property through her gate.
Trying To Ignore Them
They walked through her gate every day as if it were their property. They never acted violently or rudely, but they also never requested permission.
The situation didn't sit well with Vera, because she was unsure of what was going on. Despite her best efforts, it was hard not to notice them in her backyard when they walked around.
Feeling Unsettled
Vera began to feel more and more unsettled as the days passed. She tried to convince herself that they were just harmless teenagers, but she couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
She decided to call the police, but when she picked up the phone, she hesitated. What if they were just passing through, and she made a big fuss over nothing?
Ducking And Diving
Vera continued to watch them through her kitchen window. It became a daily occurrence as they ducked and dived through the tall grass. They looked around, wondering if anyone saw them walking through the property.
They laughed and threw each with little stones. They looked like normal kids until Vera saw one of them carrying something.
A Weapon?
Her heart pounded as she tried to make out what exactly it was that she saw. But the boys had already disappeared.
Vera began to worry because she was sure she saw one of them was carrying a weapon of sorts. It looked long and sharp, and it looked like it could be for stabbing.
Vulnerable
Vera didn’t want to get ahead of herself, but every aching bone in her body told her that those boys were up to something.
She needed to think of something because she was all alone on the big farm, and virtually anything could happen to her. She was vulnerable, and her farm was a criminal’s paradise.
Getting Up And Out
After a few days of bed rest, Vera was feeling especially lively and wanted to go out to get some fresh air. She stood on her porch, breathing in the fresh air.
Then, just as she was about to go inside to make some tea, she spotted something familiar. There, walking boldly in her yard, were those boys again. Vera had had enough.
The Boys Are Confronted
Feeling emboldened, Vera decided to confront the boys as they walked onto her property. She waved them down with her stick, and she marched up to them.
“What are you boys doing here?” she asked sternly. The boys looked surprised but didn’t say anything. They just stared at her with blank expressions. She had caught them now.
The Boys Explain
After a moment of silence, one of the boys spoke up. “We’re sorry, ma’am. We didn’t mean to scare you. We’ve been using your backyard to play football. We didn’t think it would be a big deal.”
Vera felt a wave of relief wash over her. They were just playing football. She felt silly for getting so worked up about it.
Strange Looks
Vera thought about it for a moment before making a decision. “You can use my backyard to play football, but only if you ask permission first. I don’t want to be surprised like that again.”
The boys nodded their heads in agreement and thanked her. But she could see how they looked at her strangely. Vera immediately put her hand over her belly and walked away.
An Odd Question
From then on, the boys became regular visitors to her backyard. They always asked permission before coming in, and Vera even started to enjoy watching them play.
But then, one day, as she sat watching them play from her porch, one of the boys came running up to her. “Hey, Granny, can we get some water, please?” Vera fetched them a pitcher from the fridge. As he ran and walked off, she heard him ask, “By the way, when is the baby due?”
So Embarrassed
Vera could’ve died of embarrassment, and she immediately saw how apologetic the boy became when she didn’t answer him. Did she really look pregnant? It would be impossible at her age.
The belly had grown even bigger, and she was beginning to feel a lot of pain. She just wanted it to go away. Why had she left it so long? She knew she needed to get it checked out.
Jim The Sheep Farmer
Luckily she had a neighbor who always helped her out. He brought her groceries every month, and in exchange, Vera would give him fresh eggs and milk.
Jim was a nice family man. He was also a sheep farmer and was always willing to help her. So when she called him to take her to the doctor, he wasted no time.
Surgery?
It was a huge blow for Vera to hear the doctor say the words, “You need surgery.” She hadn’t expected it all. She thought it was something that would go away on its own.
The doctor told her it was a cyst that was growing inside of her for years, and she now had to have the surgery before it got bigger.
Devastated
Vera was devastated that she wouldn’t be able to do anything for some time. What would become of her farm, and how would she do her chores?
Jim consoled her and assured her that everything would be fine. But Vera wasn’t so sure. All she could imagine was her and Bob’s farm being in ruins.
Surgery Day
It was the day of the surgery, and Jim was at her front door at the crack of dawn. He had, of course, offered to take her to the hospital and would then pick her up afterward.
Vera took one good look at her and Bob’s beloved farm. She would be gone for a week and hoped her farm would still be standing when she got back.
Going Home
Everything went well with the surgery, and Vera was on the road to recovery. She thanked the doctors and nurses who took good care of her and beamed when she saw Jim waiting to wheel her out to his truck.
She was so thankful for his help and couldn’t wait to finally get home to her own bed.
Being Vague
She eagerly asked Jim about her farm and if he did the regular checks like she had asked him to do for her. She was anxious to know if everything was just as she had left it.
But Jim seemed very vague when he answered her questions. It was like he didn’t want to reveal something to her. What was going on? Had something happened to her farm?
Could Jim Be Trusted?
When Vera badgered him for more answers, Jim just shrugged it off. Vera became very worried at this point, and her palms started to get sweaty.
She thought Jim was a trustworthy family man, but now, she wasn’t so sure anymore. She had a feeling that something had happened on her farm, and he wasn’t giving her the details.
An Unexpected Welcome
When they pulled into the gates of Harmony Place, Vera's eyes grew wide. There in the driveway stood the four boys that had been coming to play football in her backyard.
“What’s going on here? What are those boys doing on my property without my permission?” Vera was getting hot with anger. She knew something bad had happened.
Farm Workers
But Jim quickly stopped the car and let her in on what was going on. It turned out that the four boys were Jim’s sons, and they had been taking care of Harmony Place in her absence.
Vera couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Her farm looked immaculate, and the cows and chickens were all healthy and grazing. Vera had tears in her eyes as she thanked Jim and his boys for what they had done for her.
Good Deeds Continue
Jim then promised that his boys would come every two weeks to mow the lawns and clean up everywhere along the farm. Vera was overjoyed. But the good deeds didn’t stop there for Vera.
Jim and his wife, Mary, hired a special care nurse to look after Vera as she recovered from surgery. Vera was very grateful to have the extra help around the house.