I read the typed legal description of the land one word at a time.

The 1984 deed listed our house as parcel code zero-four-seven-eight and noted a twelve-foot shared utility easement along the north fence line.

I took the digital printout of Frank’s recorded transfer deed out of my folder and set it next to the open ledger.

Frank’s document gave the parcel code as zero-four-seven-nine.

I bent down until my eyes were four inches from the yellowed ledger page.

“Is something hard to read on that page?” the clerk asked from his tall stool by the gate.