Not long ago, I wrote about battling illegal signs in my neighborhood. The signs, usually advertising new housing developments, pop up on right-of-ways every Saturday.
They're against the law, and an eyesore, so every weekend I take as many down as I can find. I toss away the signs and use the metal posts in my garden. In the past few months, in a three-mile radius of my house, I've probably picked up more than 50.
I was out again Sunday evening, picking up a half-dozen or so near the corner of Jones Franklin Road and Appleton Drive in west Raleigh. As I was yanking out a sign, I heard a voice calling out, "hey, hey, hey!"
A man in his mid 
40s left his van in the roadway and ran up to me. He told me that he worked for a sign company and was paid to install sings for a couple of developments. He demanded that I return them.
There was no way I was going to. If I did, they would've ended right back on the corner where were standing.
I told him so. He reached for them, and I backed away.
I thought to myself: is this guy going to assault me for a handful of signs?
I reiterated that the signs are illegal. He told me he was just trying to make an honest living. I told him there's nothing honest about illegal signs.
Eventually, he decided against taking the signs by force. He hopped back in his van and as he drove away shouted out the window: "see you next weekend!"
I hope not. But if the signs return, it just means more posts for my tomatoes.
Matt Ehlers has worked for The N&O since 2002. As a general-assignment reporter, he writes about a variety of topics.