u/beththebookgirl

“Marlie,” ahem. Marlenea Locke said that Rachel Harlow’s mother’s maiden name was McCoy. Oh, almost forgot E.J. “Digger,” McCoy. Waylon Boggs was the son of Onetta McCoy Boggs. Perhaps Rachel has some green touched power as well as the dark tinged stuff?

I (32F) work from home and every morning I take my coffee into the garden before starting work. 6 months ago a duck started visiting, just the one. I don't feed it, I don't encourage it, it just waddles in, sits by my pond for a while, he isn't doing anything wrong, he's a duck and then leaves at some point in the day.

Last week my neighbour knocked on the door and said, completely seriously, "Can you stop letting our duck into YOUR garden?" Apparently the duck also visits their garden and they've been feeding him frozen peas. She said her kids love the duck, and wants to keep it." I said 'Oh, so it is not actually your duck? It's a wild duck then." I also said "I don't feed him, he just turns up, I don't care what a wild duck does."

Neighbour is frustrated? I think, and says "Well he clearly prefers your garden now." Again... he's a duck living his duck life, I don't care. I asked "Ok... That's nice your kids like the duck... But I cant actually control the duck." She just, leaves. Says nothing and goes.

Few days later, I go outside, and there is 9 plastic ducks in her font garden... I thought, ok. She is crazy. (Duck is still coming into my garden, just existing.) My husband then saw her in her PJ's at the font of her house throwing peas all over her font garden. My husband is a petty man and thought to put a tiny chair in the garden next to the pond for the duck.

OBVIOUSLY THE DUCK DOESN'T KNOW TO SIT IN IT, WE ARE NOT ENCOURAGING A DUCK, IT'S A LITTLE WOODEN CHAIR. Anyway, Big mistake. Neighbour saw it. That afternoon a note appeared in our letterbox saying, "Mocking children is disgusting." What?

Anyway, fast forward to yesterday, one week later. Duck lands in garden as usual, has a little chill, I go to work inside. About forte five minutes later. 9.45am. I hear shouting outside. My neighbour is in the ROAD pointing at my house, telling another neighbour, "See? She's trained him, she would let my kids have him."

TRAINED HIM?! It's a duck. I was annoyed, I want outside with a massive grin, 'hello, I don't suppose you are talking about me? Like I have said before, it is a wild animal.' (neighbour she is talking to swings head round to me after I said that). 'I don't own him, nor do you or your children, I CANNOT control what that duck goes, I don't feed it, or encourage it to stay.' I walk away and leave.

Now, I need to work, but I can see her watching me through the window... My mum says I should scare the duck off 'just to keep the peace'. My husband keeps referring to duck as "our son" and has named him 'Darwin'... so he's not helpful because he does not work from home like I do!

So now I am encouraging the duck, Darwin my son. He shall have anything he wants, including a rabbit hut I have gotten for free online, filled with straw... don't even know if that is right... And whatever ducks want, Darwin will get. My mum and my dad think I am being a AH.. and that I am asking for trouble now.