One quiet morning, I placed a cheerful little gnome by the roses on my lawn. Josh, my grumpy neighbor, immediately protested—claiming gnomes were bad luck. The next day, his yard filled with smoky lanterns meant to “cleanse evil spirits,” and the smell wafted straight into my house.
I retaliated with ten more gnomes. Josh reported me to the HOA, and I was slapped with a list of violations. Defeated, I moved the gnomes to the backyard.
But the next morning, Josh showed up with paint and an apology. We painted my trim together. He told me he’d lost his wife and the silence had been too much. I shared how the gnomes made the house feel like home.
That evening, we placed one gnome back on the lawn—together. He smiled and asked me to dinner.