answer:You know, if you want to sour your relations with this neighbor forever (and perhaps with the Post Office, too, if that matters at all to you – and consider that there are real people there), then go with the “story” idea. But I think if I were you I would walk it over to him and tell him what you said in the first two paragraphs. Just tell the truth, and maybe you can all laugh at it. Tell “a story”, and the truth will come out one day, and he’ll never trust you again.