"I mean, if I buy in, I want the authority to enforce water distribution policies fairly. And I don't want that HOA getting a drop more than they pay for."
Daniel nodded slowly. "Well, the board's meeting next week. You might just get your wish."
Meanwhile, back at Crescent Meadows, Sarah was losing her kingdom. The grass in front of her house had faded to a dull yellow, her koi pond was a cracked basin, and the grand three-tier fountain now stood dry, collecting dust and dead leaves.
I passed by one afternoon and caught her standing there, hands on hips, glaring at the fountain like it had betrayed her personally.
"Problems with the plumbing?" I asked from the truck window.
She jumped, clearly startled. "Mind your own business, José."
"Oh, I am," I said, nodding toward her dead lawn. "This is my business."
She turned away, muttering something about lawsuits. But what really broke her wasn't the lawn; it was the neighbors.
Once the fines rolled in, HOA members started asking questions: Why were their fees so high? Why had Sarah insisted on managing the water system herself? Why was there no record of a city permit for the irrigation expansion?
At the next HOA meeting, half the board resigned; the rest demanded transparency. Sarah tried to regain control by calling for a re-election, but the residents voted no-confidence unanimously. The queen had lost her crown. And she didn't even know the worst part yet: that I was about to become her water supplier.
When Daniel called the following week, his tone was pure relief: "José, the board approved the sale. You're now majority shareholder of Clearstream Utilities."
I nearly dropped my coffee. "You're serious?"
"Signed and sealed this morning. Congrats, partner."
I leaned back in my chair, staring out across the parched fields that had caused me so much grief. The irony was delicious.
The next morning, I drafted an official company memo titled: Revised Water Distribution Policy for Drought Conditions. It read, simply:
Effective immediately, all non-agricultural entities under Clearstream Utilities will be subject to strict drought restrictions. Excessive lawn irrigation and ornamental water features are prohibited until further notice. Violations will result in suspension of service.
Guess which HOA fell squarely under "non-agricultural"? Crescent Meadows.