Does anyone out there want a free lawnmower?

I’d venture to guess that quite a few people out there would accept that offer!

The guy who wrote this story on Reddit’s “Malicious Compliance” page TRIED to do the right thing…until he decided it would just be easier to go along with the program.

Check out what happened!

I repeatedly tried telling the Big Box hardware store that the lawn mower waiting for pickup was not my lawn mower. But they wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“It all started with me purchasing a lawn mower at a big box hardware store. In the interest of keeping them anonymous let’s just call them Rob Lowe, or, Lowes for short.

I walked in one day looking to finally purchase a new mower, and I was in luck as they had a smoking deal on a “display” model. Unprepared to be going home with a new mower that day I didn’t bring my truck.

So I simply asked if I could set it aside and come back in a little bit with my truck.

I returned maybe 30 minutes later and picked up my mower and headed home. This should be the end of the story but weirdly, it isn’t.

Huh?

Fast forward about 2 weeks later and I get a call from Lowes informing me that my mower is ready for pick up. Confused I replied “pardon me?”. So they reminded me that I ordered a mower about 2 weeks ago and it just arrived and is awaiting pick up.

Now I know most would have seized the opportunity right there but I decided to be a good person and I explained to the employee that no, I didn’t order a mower, I bought a floor model and set it aside to pick up later, which I did. The employee thanks me, apologizes for the confusion, and says he’ll update the order.

Welp, one week later they call again, same thing, and I once again explain why it’s not mine.

This was getting old…

They did this once a week for 3 weeks straight, and after the 3rd time I tell the wife I swear if they call me again I’m going to pickup “my mower.”

At this point now I’m just excited, I’m watching my phone, hoping they’ll call, because in my mind I’ve earned it at this point and I want my free mower! Well low and behold week 4 hits and guess who calls!

I am now ready to accept my free mower but I’m also unsure how this is going to play out. I don’t know if it’s paid for, I don’t have a receipt, it seems like a long shot.

So I simply tell the employee I’m so sorry I haven’t been in yet to get it, but I got called out of town for work and just got back and with that said I have no idea where I put the receipt. The employee kindly replies “oh no worries! It’s paid in full so all you need is a photo ID matching the name on the order”

Wow…

Perfect!

I call the wife to let her know I’m picking up our new mower, she just laughs, still positive that once I get there they won’t have a mower to give me.

But you’ll be happy to know I pull in, tell customer service I’m here for my mower, show them my ID, and next thing you know some guy on a tow motor is loading a brand new, in the box, unassembled mower into the back of my truck and off I go.

Still have that mower today!

I thought about returning the original afterwards but I just got nervous it would somehow raise the alarms.

Then I was going to sell it on Marketplace, but shortly after all this I had bought a new house and my best friend put in a lot of hours helping me move and he too had been looking for a new mower so I just gave it to him instead as a thanks for helping me.

I still ended up with a brand new mower for essentially 60% off and then was also able to pay for movers with the original one so it was still a win win.

I genuinely tried telling them it wasn’t my mower, but they insisted it was, and it would be rude to refuse their offer.”

Reddit users shared their thoughts.

This person weighed in.

Another individual spoke up.

This Reddit user had a lot to say.

Another person has been there.

You can only turn down free stuff so many times…

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.