“You were feeding a cat,” he managed weakly, “not staging a coup.” His uncle shrugged, legalese inflating him. “We’d rather resolve this amicably. Let’s maintain current possession while our lawyer petitions. You should consider alternative accommodation.” The window slid shut. The alarm panel chirped triumphantly like a bell after a beheading.
He tried every tactic a civilized person learns. He talked to them of fairness, patience, and shame. They countered with words like “constructive possession” and “equitable interest”. A neighbor paused, waved, and retreated behind newly planted hydrangeas.