She glanced over my shoulder at the dock, at the "No Trespassing" sign newly bolted to the post, at the second sign that said, "Private Property. This Means You." The last three words were hand-painted. I have good penmanship when I'm irritated.
She lifted the clipboard and clicked the pen. "So, Benjamin, do you prefer Ben, or—"
"Benjamin is fine," I said. "What can I do for you, miss?"
"Campbell. Skyler," she corrected in the tone of someone who doesn't really want to be on a first-name basis, but insists on it to establish jurisdiction. "I'm here just to introduce myself and, you know, get you up to speed on how we do things here at Lakeview Serenity."
I looked around at the water, the forest, and the empty sky. "Seems pretty self-explanatory."
A brief laugh that didn't reach her eyes. Adorable.
"We have a culture of shared stewardship, Benjamin. Trash pickups, shoreline cleanups, community events, that sort of thing. Historically, this stretch of shoreline," she gestured at my dock like she was choosing entrees from a menu, "has been used for small gatherings, barbecues, and sunset socials."
"Historically," I said, "this stretch of shoreline belonged to my uncle, and now it belongs to me. No barbecues. No socials."
She clicked the pen again. "Of course, we're very respectful of boundaries." She said the word like she'd read it in a book about endangered species. "But because you're adjacent to common spaces, there's an understanding that neighbors can access the lake here, provided they leave no trace."
I pointed with my pry bar toward a crushed beer can in the weed bed and a damp pile of ashes in the ring I'd dismantled the day before. "Your understanding leaves a lot of traces."
"That might have been teens," she said. "Or guests. You know how that is."
"I do. Which is why I installed cameras and posted signs." I nodded to the small lens tucked into the pine trunk, the red LED politely blinking hello.
Skyler's smile slid another inch. "Oh. Cameras. That's proactive."
"I'm a proactive guy."
"Well then," she said brightly, flipping a tab on the clipboard, "let's be proactive together! We have a weekend access schedule for watercraft launches to avoid dock congestion. I'll put you down for Tuesdays and Thursdays for personal use, and Saturdays for community."
"No."