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I finally told a joke about my neighbor's yard sign and got the cold shoulder for a week
So last Saturday I'm out front watering my lawn, and my neighbor Larry has this giant political sign in his yard, like 4 feet wide. I thought it would be funny to walk over and say, "Hey Larry, I see you're really committed to that candidate. Hope they don't ask for a security deposit on that sign." I thought it was harmless, you know, just a little jab about how long it's been up there (since August, I swear). He just stared at me, didn't laugh, didn't even crack a smile. Then his wife came out and asked if I had a problem with their choice. I tried to backpedal, said I was just joking about the sign itself, but the damage was done. For like 5 days after, Larry would see me and just turn around and head back inside. Has anyone else accidentally offended a neighbor with a joke that was supposed to be about something silly but landed like a personal attack?
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the_rowan1d ago
Your neighbor probably took it as criticism of his whole personality instead of just the sign... happens more than people realize. The thing is, people get real attached to their outdoor displays like they're part of the house itself. Makes you wonder how many little neighborhood tensions start from one dumb joke nobody meant to be mean.
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