I was really caught offguard

I was really caught offguard by the tree elf rebellion. Nothing even stopped. Everything ran as usual but the tree elves now ran some of it. I had only been gone less than a year and came home fully unaware of the developments. It had escaped all but local news coverage.
At the elfport after I arrived it all hit me. Pretty clearly that got across the particular scope of things, and the patterns of distribution of labor in an elf controlled area.
I quickly called in Federal authorities and the tree elf rebellion was put down. They do have a great pasta restaurant though, right where the old gnome bakery used to be.