Some people make posts about bed bug infestations. But there is another kind on infestation.

In this story, the infestation has to do with gnomes, and it was all one old man’s idea.

Then a new homeowner moved into the neighborhood and accidentally became his enemy.

See why these neighbors are not friends.

AITA for not putting a garden gnome on my lawn?

I recently bought my first house in a cute little neighborhood.

There’s 12 houses in our street, no HOA, no rules about lawn design, only a rule that the roofs can’t be black. Cool, whatever.

My older neighbor, “Mr. Thomas” right across the street has his garden stuffed, and I mean STUFFED, with garden gnomes.

They’re not just in his garden.

They’re everywhere, they climb up the water drain, they’re on the porch, on the grass, it’s a whole thing. Not my style, but fine.

I moved in the first week of March and the day after Mr. Thomas came to say Hello, introduce himself and bring me a garden gnome as a welcome gift.

I thought it was absolutely hideous, but I thanked him and then put it in the shed after he left.

The following day I brought all neighbors some self-made cookies. Mr. Thomas and his wife got some too and they seemed happy about it.

Gnomes were on this guy’s mind, though.

Two or three days later I was walking my dog and Mr. Thomas stopped me and asked why I hadn’t put my gnome in my front yard.

I didn’t tell him I hated the gnome, I just told him I had something else in mind for my garden which I just hadn’t gotten around to yet (true) and the gnome was doing a formidable job guarding my tools in the shed.

He got really upset and snappy with me and told me that he’s been living in this street for 30 years and every neighbor gets a gnome as a welcome gift and every neighbor puts them up in the front yard.

The street garden gnome infestation was now apparent.

I hadn’t really paid it any mind up until that point but once he mentioned it, I noticed that there was a garden gnome in every front yard.

He mentioned how “It’s a tradition” and “Everybody’s gotta do it”.

I asked him if he wanted the gnome back if he didn’t like where I put it and he said No.

So I just calmly told him that I most likely wasn’t going to put the gnome on the front lawn, thanked him for the gift again, wished him a nice day and left.

She inadvertently started a movement.

Ever since I noticed that a handful other neighbors have let their gnomes disappear and now Mr. Thomas hates me.

I get a stink eye every time we spot each other and my neighbor next door (the sweetest old lady, bless her heart) told me he’s apparently complaining about me on the regular.

I told my friends this story and one of them said I should’ve just put the gnome on the front lawn to make the old man happy.

AITA for not doing so?

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Here is what people are saying on Reddit.

This sounds like war.

Maybe not flamingos…

Controlling people are the worst.

LOL wow crucifying a garden gnome on a front lawn.

Maybe it’s been like that for 30 years.

People need to get a backbone.

If you enjoyed this post, check out this story about a man who was so upset about dog messes in his yard that he involved the whole neighborhood in the solution.