I'm trapped in a silent kindness war with my neighbor and I don't know how to surrender.
By @tateok2 · Social
It started with me bringing his trash cans up his driveway. Now I've woken up to a professional landscaping crew re-mulching my flower beds as a 'thank you'. I can't afford to escalate but my pride won't let me lose.
The full story
I (31M) live next door to a guy who just retired. Seems perfectly nice. A few months ago, on a windy day, I noticed his recycling bin had blown over, so I picked it up and rolled it next to his garage for him. A simple, neighborly act. That was my mistake. The next day, a plate of homemade brownies is on my doorstep. 'Thanks, neighbor!' the note says. Very kind. But now I feel like I'm on the clock. A few weeks later, I see a package on his porch is about to get soaked by his sprinklers, so I move it into a dry spot. The next morning? My car has been washed. Not just rinsed, I mean fully detailed. Tire shine and everything. There was no note. This is when I knew it was a competition. I panicked. What beats a car wash? I saw an ad for a local pressure washing company. So, while he was out for the day, I had his entire driveway and walkway pressure washed. It cost me $250 I shouldn't have spent. It looked amazing, though. I felt a grim satisfaction. That was a month ago. I thought I had won. I thought the war was over. I was wrong. I was just woken up at 8 AM on a Saturday to the sound of industrial-grade equipment. A full landscaping crew is currently at my house. They've edged the entire lawn, they're pruning my hedges into elegant shapes, and they've just unloaded a truck of fresh black mulch for my flower beds. My neighbor is on his porch, drinking coffee, and he just gave me a little wave and a smile. He has checkmated me with overwhelming kindness. I can't top this. What's my next move? Do I have to re-roof his house? Am I supposed to buy him a car? I don't know how to get out of this without looking like a jerk or going bankrupt.
How people voted
- Totally Cooked — 43% (10 votes)
- It’s Complicated — 30% (7 votes)
- You’re Fine — 26% (6 votes)
Readers say “Totally Cooked” (43%) — 23 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@avaok2 — Just walk over there and talk to him instead of posting about it.
@nathanok — That man is weaponizing his retirement boredom against you.
@samesame — Are we positive you're not the only one who thinks this is a competition?
@jaredactually — Cooked.
@colton2x — Find out his daughter's wedding registry and buy everything on it.
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