They came to the conclusion that I would clean up their mess when they threw their rotting Halloween leftovers on my grass. On the other hand, after years of having to cope with their simple trickery, I came to the conclusion that it was time for a little retribution, one that would disclose more than they had anticipated.
For as long as I can remember, Halloween has been one of my most cherished times of the year. Cobwebs, hanging ghosts, large plastic spiders climbing up the porch, and gravestones sprinkled across the flowerbeds are some of the things that I use to adorn the yard during the September and October months. It is both eerie and fun, and the children in the neighborhood just adore it.
In terms of my Halloween decorations, I went for a more elaborate look this year. I added a gigantic lighting witch that lit up at night to the scary maze that I constructed in my front yard. The arrangement was praised by a large number of people, including people walking by. Nevertheless, it is hardly surprising that not everyone was pleased with it.
As my neighbors, Gary and Brenda, who live a couple of doors down from me, they have never liked anything that I do, regardless of whether it is for Halloween or for any other reason. A word like “entitled” hardly does justice to them. They give the impression that the entire community exists just for the purpose of making their life simpler.
During the previous year, they voiced their displeasure and stated that my Christmas lights were “too bright.” Brenda had asked that I relocate my garden the previous year because it “obstructed her view.” Furthermore, you should not even inquire about their complaints regarding the barking of my dog.
I had every intention of decluttering things after Halloween arrived. Due to the fact that work became more hectic, the decorations were up for a longer period of time than usual.
I was walking outdoors to collect my newspaper one morning when I was confronted by a putrid odor. Unbelievably, it seemed as though something had passed away in my yard. In the middle of my lawn, I noticed a heap of rotting pumpkins, dead cornstalks, and fragments of broken skeletons. I was surprised to see such a mess. Both the scent and the buzzing of the flies were quite unpleasant. On one of the pumpkins, there was a message that was attached to it.
The remark, which was smudged and difficult to read, stated, “I suspected that you would also be interested in the remaining decorations in the neighborhood.” Because you enjoy decorating so much, you should take pleasure in cleaning everything up.
Immediately, I was able to identify Brenda’s particular handwriting. The fire of my rage grew.
I made a fist and clenched it. It is evident that she is the only person who would act in such a manner. I flung the newspaper to the ground and snatched my coat as I marched back inside. I wasn’t going to let this go without a fight.
The sound of leaves crunching under my feet was barely audible to me as I made my way home to their residence. My head was filled with rage and disbelief at the same time. An arrogant grin appeared on Gary’s face as he responded to my knock on the door.
He said, “Morning,” while crossing his arms over his chest. “Do you require something?”
I attempted to maintain my composure by taking a deep breath. Are you sure there is no cause for your waste to be on my lawn? It was a direct question from me.
Smiling, he shrugged his shoulders. “We felt it would be okay if you picked up our Halloween decorations as well, seeing as how you are the last person to have them up. Considering that you are the “Halloween Queen” in this place, I figured you would be interested in having everything finished.
It left me speechless. Are you saying that you just… threw everything on my yard?
Irrespective of the situation, Gary leaned against the doorframe. “Look, everyone is sick of your creepy trash hanging about. Your presence is getting old. Simply put, we were trying to be helpful to you. The notion occurred to Brenda that you would value it.
Would you do me a favor” As I repeated myself, I was not convinced by what I was hearing.
That sneer of his became wider. “Consider it serving the community in some capacity.”
It was his attitude that caused my head to spin. There was a part of me that wanted to tidy up the mess and move on with my life. On the other hand, there was a second part of me that couldn’t allow them get away with it. It was then that I turned around and stared at the nasty mess that was my yard, and I felt my fury growing.
With a gesture, Gary asked, “Is there anything else, or are we finished here?”
I swallowed my words and resisted the want to utter everything that was on my mind.
That night, I couldn’t stop thinking about the “favor” that Gary and Brenda had done for one other. His smirk, in which he referred to my decorations as “spooky junk,” kept playing over and over in my thoughts. I stayed awake for a number of hours, pondering the various options available to me.
At long last, shortly before daybreak, I understood what I needed to do. I would be pleased to “return” the favor if they wanted to take some of their Halloween rubbish with me.
I gathered all of the rotting pumpkins, dead cornstalks, and broken skeletons from my yard the following evening after work. I filled my wheelbarrow with them while trying not to gag as I heaped them up. Despite the fact that the odor was revolting, I continued to move forward.
At Gary and Brenda’s place, I brought everything over and made sure there was no one else around before I did so. Since their lights were off, it was clear that they were not at home. Not a fault.
A path was lined with pumpkins that had been squished, and I gently put the rotting decorations all over their front yard. “Guarding” their mailbox and “climbing” their porch railing were two of the scary stances that I arranged for the skeletons that I placed up.
In order to give the impression that it was a scary marsh, I even wrapped cornstalks around their stairs. No matter how many times I took a step back to take a look, I couldn’t help but smile. Despite the fact that it was petty, there was a certain degree of satisfaction in returning their “gift.”
I posted a message on their door as the last touch to complete the look. Since you are so passionate about volunteering in the community, I thought I would offer to assist you with your cleanup. I hope you have a wonderful Halloween! I put my signature on it with a strong passion for fashion. I had completed my work.
When I was having my morning coffee three days later, I was interrupted by the ringing of my phone. I was able to identify Brenda. I almost didn’t answer, but I couldn’t help but be inquisitive about it. I took a slow sip and then sped up the pace.
“What exactly did you do?” It was necessary for me to keep the phone away from my ear since Brenda’s voice was so loud that it shrieked through the phone. As a result of your actions, we are going to lose our home!
“May I be excused?” Trying to maintain my composure, I responded.
“Yes, you have damaged everything! It is entirely your responsibility that we are being penalized thousands of dollars, and it is all your fault! A scared, almost panicky tone could be heard in her voice.
While I was thinking quickly, I lifted one eyebrow. “Brenda, I have no trouble understanding what you are talking about.”
It was then that she snapped, “Oh, don’t act innocent!” Everything has been a living nightmare ever since you dropped that… that crap on our lawn! The wiring in the house was chewed through by rats, and now we are facing the prospect of having to pay for repairs that we cannot afford. Not only that, but the HOA issued us one last warning!
I relaxed my shoulders and took pleasure in the irony. Is it true that the homeowners association has finally grown weary of your “spooky junk”?
It was her voice that cried, “Stop playing games!” If we do not make our payments, the HOA has threatened to kick us out of the community. And all of this is due to the disaster that you choose to leave behind!
And what about that mess? Trying not to giggle, I responded to the question. My security cameras have seen you and Gary placing that rubbish on my yard first, which is a funny thing to say.
“W-we… that’s beside the point!” she muttered after a brief pause in which she remained silent. You brought us to this!
Should I set you up? It made me laugh. “Brenda, you have violated my property by entering unlawfully. I have just returned all of your belongings.
As her voice became increasingly distressed, she begged with the HOA, “You have to tell them that it was all a misunderstanding!” The phrase “You can’t allow them to do this to us!”
As I took a big breath, I couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for her. However, I recalled their years of complaints, the most recent of which was the act of dumping trash on my yard — the final straw. While I was offering her one last piece of advice, I let out a sigh.
“Perhaps the next time, give some serious consideration to the possibility of making your mess someone else’s problem,” I replied in a strong tone. “May you have success, Brenda.”
Over the course of several months, the HOA had reportedly been dealing with concerns regarding them. They had disregarded the warnings that were given to them regarding their unkempt yard, broken fence, and peeling paint. Even before Halloween, neighbors had complained about the presence of pests and smells in the area around their house. The rat problem was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.
There was a rapid occurrence of the repercussions. The homeowner’s association refuted every allegation that they had made against me by using the surveillance footage. Because of their neglect of their property, violations of health regulations, and the presence of a rat infestation, Gary and Brenda were subject to financial penalties. Because they did not have enough money to pay the fines, they were forced to sell their home.
I was able to observe them as they loaded their possessions into an old U-Haul on their final day of working from my window. They made a defeated and exhausted appearance. After Gary had finished loading the last box, Brenda sat on the curb, giving the impression that she had not slept at all.
As they drove away, I couldn’t help but feel a twinge of regret. However, subsequent to that, I recalled their arrogant expressions and the way in which they believed they could place their issues on my shoulders. In the end, they were able to obtain just what they had earned.
Where will we be this Halloween? I believe that I will end up making it even larger.
