Halloween has always been my favorite holiday. Every October, I go all out transforming my yard into a spooky scene filled with cobwebs, ghosts, and even a glowing witch. The neighborhood kids love it, and I enjoy bringing a festive spirit to the block. But not everyone on my street appreciates my Halloween enthusiasm. My neighbors, Gary and Brenda, have made it clear over the years that they don’t share my holiday spirit, and this year, they took things way too far.

Meet the Neighbors: Gary and Brenda, the Grumpy Duo

Gary and Brenda, two doors down, are the kind of neighbors who seem to believe the world revolves around them. From complaints about my Christmas lights to grumbling about my dog’s playful barks, they’ve never held back on voicing their displeasure. Last year, Brenda even demanded that I move my garden because it “blocked her view.” And this Halloween, they decided to take their annoyance to a new level.

After Halloween came and went, I left my decorations up a little longer than usual, mainly because work was hectic. One morning, I stepped outside and noticed a horrendous stench coming from my lawn. Right in the middle of my yard was a pile of decaying pumpkins, wilted cornstalks, and broken skeleton parts. As if the smell wasn’t enough, flies were swarming around, making it look like a horror scene straight out of a zombie movie.

The Note That Crossed the Line

In the middle of the rotting mess, there was a note scribbled on a moldy pumpkin: “Since you love decorating so much, thought you’d want the neighborhood’s leftovers too. Enjoy!” Brenda’s familiar handwriting stared back at me, and my blood began to boil. They didn’t just dump their trash on my lawn; they had the nerve to mock my Halloween spirit.

With a deep breath to keep my cool, I marched over to Gary and Brenda’s house. When Gary opened the door, a smug smile spread across his face.

“Morning,” he said, crossing his arms. “Something you need?”

I fought to keep my voice steady. “Is there a reason your Halloween garbage is all over my yard?” I asked, giving him a hard stare.

He shrugged, his smirk widening. “We thought you wouldn’t mind picking it up since you’re the ‘Halloween Queen’ around here.”

The Audacity of Their “Favor”

I was stunned by his arrogance. He actually believed they were doing me a favor by dumping their junk on my property. Part of me wanted to walk away, clean up the mess, and forget about it. But as I glanced back at the rotting heap on my lawn, I knew I couldn’t let them get away with it. That night, as I lay in bed, the memory of Gary’s smug face played in my mind. And then, I had an idea—a perfect plan to return the favor.

The Plan: Return to Sender

The next evening, after work, I put on some gloves and started gathering every piece of garbage from my yard. The stench was unbearable, but I loaded each rotten pumpkin, cornstalk, and broken skeleton into a wheelbarrow, holding my breath to avoid gagging. When I had everything loaded up, I waited until their lights were off—they weren’t home. It was the perfect opportunity.

I arranged the decaying pumpkins along their walkway, draped the moldy cornstalks on their porch, and positioned the skeleton pieces on their front steps. To top it all off, I left a note on their doorstep that read, “Thanks for thinking of me! Thought I’d help with your cleanup. Happy belated Halloween!” I even added a big, loopy heart at the end for extra flair.

The Fallout: An Unexpected Turn of Events

Three days later, as I sipped my morning coffee, my phone rang. It was Brenda, and the frantic tone in her voice caught me off guard.

“What did you DO?” she screamed, so loud that I had to pull the phone away from my ear. “We’re losing our house because of you!”

“Excuse me?” I replied, feigning innocence.

“We’re being fined thousands of dollars, and it’s all your fault!” she yelled, her voice on the edge of hysteria.

I raised an eyebrow, surprised by her desperation. “Brenda, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Her voice shook with anger. “Ever since you dumped that trash on our lawn, rats got into our house! They chewed through our wiring, and now we’re looking at repairs we can’t afford. And the HOA says they’ve had enough!”

I stifled a chuckle. “So, the HOA finally got fed up with your ‘decorations’?”

“Don’t you dare play games!” she spat. “They’re threatening to evict us if we don’t pay for the damages!”

I took a moment, savoring the irony. “Funny, because my security cameras show you and Gary dumping those decorations on my lawn first.”

There was silence on the line, then a stammered response. “W-we… that’s irrelevant! You set us up!”

“Set you up?” I laughed. “Brenda, you two trespassed on my property and left a mess. I simply returned your ‘gift.’”

“You have to tell the HOA it was a misunderstanding!” she demanded, her tone shifting from anger to desperation. “You need to fix this!”

“Why should I?” I replied calmly. “Maybe next time you’ll think twice before dumping your problems on someone else.”

The Consequences They Never Expected

My little act of revenge turned out to be the final straw for Gary and Brenda. Over the past year, the HOA had received multiple complaints about their neglected property, with issues ranging from untrimmed weeds and trash piles to, more recently, a rodent problem. My video footage was the last piece of evidence the HOA needed to take action.

Faced with hefty fines and repair bills they couldn’t afford, Gary and Brenda had no choice but to sell their home. On their last day in the neighborhood, I watched from my window as they packed their belongings into a beat-up U-Haul, looking defeated and worn down.

As they drove away, I felt a brief pang of guilt. But then I remembered all the years of petty complaints and entitled behavior, and how they thought they could just dump their problems on me without consequence. In the end, they got exactly what they deserved.

A Halloween Lesson Learned

The Halloween season is all about fun, community, and a little bit of mischief. But for Gary and Brenda, it became a season of consequences. Sometimes, people need a reminder that their actions have repercussions—and sometimes, a little bit of Halloween spirit can come back to haunt you in ways you never expect.

Next Halloween? I think I’ll make my decorations even grander. After all, it’s a neighborhood tradition now. And I have plenty of space to make my yard the spookiest on the block.