Kevin Walters

kewalters@tennessean.com

PULASKI – Heather Andrews always hated gnomes because they were creepy.

Then she accidentally dropped and broke a ceramic garden gnome in her driveway, and that's when things got strange.

Inside her gnome, Andrews found a smaller statue affixed to the bottom of her cracked gnome.

The statue-in-a-statue is of a woman's robe-cloaked body who has what appears to be the face of a bearded man.

The discovery has only raised more questions for Andrews. For example, is the statue inside her gnome supposed to be a woman or a man? An angel or a religious icon?

Is this all a prank played by someone at the Chinese factory where her gnome statue was made?

Andrews, an office manager at a machine shop in Pulaski, has no answers and doesn't consider this to be a religious sign.

"I don't know how to explain it to people because if I say I saw Jesus in a gnome they think I'm crazy," said Andrews.

Gnome goes on Facebook

So Andrews has turned to the Internet for help, starting a Facebook page for the gnome, whom she's named Pete. (On Monday, Pete the gnome had around 200 "likes.")

Pete, who is painted like Santa Claus, cost her friend Jillian Pozzi $20 at the Target store in Spring Hill where she bought it a year ago.

Pozzi, who now lives in Knoxville, said she didn't know a statue would be inside Pete when she gave it to Andrews as a gag gift.

"It was intact when I gave it to her," said Pozzi.

After they found the statue inside the gnome, Andrews and Pozzi split open two other, smaller ceramic gnomes that Pozzi bought on her shopping trip.

Alas, no more statues inside gnomes.

"I don't want everyone going to Target and busting open gnomes," Andrews said. "I don't want to cause mass hysteria at Target."

The only details about the gnome's origins are on the reverse side of Pete's feet, which say the gnome cost $19.99, was distributed by Minneapolis-based Target Corp. and made in China.

Retailer can't explain

Retailer Target couldn't offer much in the way of an explanation.

"We do not have enough information to speak to this specific situation, but we encourage the individual to contact guest relations for additional assistance if they have questions or concerns Target may be able to answer," said Evan Lapiska, Target spokesman, in a statement. "Guests can contact Guest Relations at 1-800-440-0680 to discuss any claims or concerns."

That's left Andrews to ponder putting Pete the gnome for sale on eBay, though she's not sure she could find a buyer for a cracked gnome with a mystery statue inside.

All she wants are answers.

"I just want to know why it's in there," Andrews said.

Reach Kevin Walters at 615-771-5472 and on Twitter @thekevinwalters.