The good deed that wasn't (quite).

We have an older man living a few streets away who has always had a small, but nicely tended, lawn and front garden.

About 10 days ago I noticed his once neat front lawn hadn’t been cut for a while, was almost knee high and starting to die off.

We were driving past when I mentioned it to my wife. She had been keeping an eye on it as well and was getting concerned - she had talked to the old bloke about his roses and a few other things while out walking. Being worried he may have been ill or had an injury preventing him from getting around we stopped and my wife went and knocked on his door - no answer, so we left a note in his mail box with our name, mobile number and an offer to come up and cut his lawn and do a little yard work if he needed it (free of charge of course). We heard nothing back but kept and eye out anyway.

Fast-forward to yesterday and we were working in our front yard, chatting to our neighbour when I told my wife I had noticed the old guys’ lawn had been cut while I was driving home from the hardware store. Neighbour (who is the block busybody) then let us know that the reason the lawn had gotten so out of control is because the place was public housing, the old guy was running his irrigation system all day every day at the governments’ expense and after lots of complaints from his neighbours and confrontations with the local water supply agency has had his lease conditions changed so he has to pay excess water rates from his own income rather than it being covered by the tax-payer.

Essentially the old bugger then had a tantrum and decided to stop caring for his place at all. :smack:

We’re still satisfied that we did the right thing based on the circumstances but I do wonder if he thought the note was some of his immediate neighbours screwing with him :stuck_out_tongue:

Could have been much worse! Glad it had a mostly happen ending :slight_smile:

You might want to stop by with some baked goods and let him know you were concerned and left the note. (And didn’t contact any authorities)
That may diffuse any hard feelings.

Then again, not knowing his situation (or yours), but yes you did good.