Last Christmas

By Syd - 21/12/2012 16:00 - United States - Plano

Today, I looked at my neighbor's empty lawn; he's an old guy and he usually has the best Christmas lights. We knew he might not be able to do them this year, so I felt bad and I did them for him. Later, a neighbor asked about them and I told her that I helped out. She said, "You do know he died, right?" FML
I agree, your life sucks 38 687
You deserved it 18 549

Same thing different taste

Top comments

He's there in spirit. You did a nice thing.

Well, you were right when you figured he wouldn't be able to do them this year anyway...

Comments

Well, you were right when you figured he wouldn't be able to do them this year anyway...

indielove 13

I don't get why people think OP deserves it.

raraisbang 12

There's was a bug on the app that kept making every FML have a ton of YDI votes. That might still be the problem, or there could just be a ton of people that think OP deserved it for not knowing the neighbor died.

I debated voting YDI for not asking the neighbor's permission, first.

raraisbang 12

Hm, I just noticed my grammatical error. "There was,*" not "there's was." ;)

decidedlyvague 11

Why wouldn't op check to make sure the person wanted help before decorating someone's house...?

10- I'm pretty sure there is some trend going on in FML where everybody clicks the "YDI" button before reading the posts...

For all those he wonder why he didn't ask; Maybe he wanted to surprise him? I think it was great that he cared for that lonely old guy. Good way to keep the holiday spirit OP!

I'm sorry, but you don't do ANYTHING to someone else's property without asking them first. One of my neighbors washed another neighbor's car but didn't know something was wrong with the gasketing around the rear driver's side passenger door and they ended up soaking the back seat (and some shopping that was back there). You want to do something nice? That's great, but ASK first!

I imagine OP didn't want to make the man feel incompetent for his age. If OP asked first, he would've made the man feel like he was almost asking for help. This was, of course, only relevant when the man was alive.

Now it's up to you to carry on the tradition!! DON'T LET THE NEIGHBORHOOD DOWN!

tsent8 15

One does not simply carry on the light tradition.

88- one does not simply use a meme phrase without a matching pic.

You do it all the time, Gc327(and then I don't remember) :p You used to have a picture of a licence plate of a car and you would say things like "Brace yourselves" ;)

He's there in spirit. You did a nice thing.

khan7864u 4

Yeah, where ever he is now, he is smiling down at you for doing this awesome job :)

Unless he was an evil old man with superior decorating skills, and he's in hell.

Well at least people won't be sad when they look at his lawn.

then000bster 16

Actually I think it'd bring more hurt. The people who knew he died cared about him and will know he is gone and the lights are just a reminder of how he is dead. Although you can still argue that they will be sad without them... Sadly it's life's lose lose situation.

33 - I disagree. I think the people that loved and cared about him would be glad to know that his Christmas lights brought enough joy to people that they wanted to carry on his tradition.

suboy 10

Not really a fyl or a you dsrv it. Was nice of you tho. Nice christmas spirit. His family might appreciate it.

ElhonnaDS 10

It was a great thing you did, and I think it makes it an even more meaningful gesture if he's just passed on, rather than less meaningful. I'm sure he has family and friends who will be missing him this holiday season, and I think it might be a comfort to them that someone thought highly enough of him to take the time to put up the lights the way he would have wanted.

Hiimhaileypotter 52

Aww. I didn't think about it like that, but you're completely right. :)

My thoughts exactly. This was still a nice thing. It's a shame the neighbor didn't know he passed, especially as the neighbor clearly cared for the old man. You did a fine thing, no FML here.

That's noice, that way he lives on in the lights that you put up. KUdos for doing a good thing, OP.

You did great. I'm sure if he was alive he will be very happy. You are a good person OP.

blcksocks 19

If he was alive, wouldn't he have done it himself?

#93, did you even READ the whole thing, or do you have trouble understading what's written?

Wouldn't you have asked the neighbour if he wanted you to do it first? ...

Hiimhaileypotter 52

No, OP was doing it as a favor because he knew the old man probably wouldn't be able to do it himself this year.

That's the kind of thing you should ask about before doing. You don't just go to someone's property and do whatever, nice thing or not.

81- If OP knew he was dead, then he wouldn't have decorated his house in the first place, and there would be no FML. Your comment is irrelevant to what's being debated.

#48, I disagree, I think this is the kinda thing you don't ask about, because it could have been painful for the old man, to be remembered of the fact that he couldn't put them up this year. Instead, he could now look out of his window and smile gleefully. Well, thats the Christmas movie scenario that I have mind.

Well look at it this way, now he really is the Christmas spirit of the neighborhood.