On Wed, 25 Nov 2009 07:34:58 -0500, John H
wrote:



No it wasn't. The area it was in was not fenced or locked. It was
behind the back row of a strip mall. That was one of my worries, that
the boat could be pilfered.

I wouldn't have had to break into anything to get it.

hehe. Been a long-winded argument - about nothing.
Anyway, I come down on the "take the boat home side."
That de plume DA/judge/defendent dialog is dark fiction.
How it really works is all these guys start talking about boats and
all the fishing Colonel John Herring (Retired) was missing because
this place had kidnapped his new boat. Case dismissed.
All speculation of course, but you do what you gotta do.
One time I came home from work on a Friday, having got a nice raise.
Wanted to get home and give the wife the good news.
The guy in front of me was a classic slowpoke, and I finally got a
little ****ed, seeing he was going to make me miss another light.
Dropped my F-150 into first, opened that 352 up, and popped the
clutch. Fishtailed around him, tires squealing, moved into second,
and was doing 50 in a 25 by the time I hit the light on Central Park.
It turned red just as I got there, but I was through it before anybody
could move.
Let off the gas and heard that beautiful exhaust purr/growl the 352 is
famous for. Famous to me anyway. First V-8 I rebuilt myself.
As I pulled into the 7/11 a couple blocks past the light to pick up a
gallon of milk I see a police cruiser in my mirror - barreling though
the now green light.
I was parked and walking toward the store door as the cruiser squealed
into the parking lot, and the 2 cops jumped out of the car.
I know they got me for reckless driving, speeding 50 in a 25, and
running a red.
But since hope springs eternal I just pretended nothing had happened
until the young one yelled at me with a "Hey! Where you going?!"
So I stopped and walked over to them with a smile.
"Hey guys. Getting some milk for the kids. What's going on?."
The young guy was really ****ed, like he waned to cuff me, but the
older one, maybe 50 or so, was relaxed. He was in charge.
"You in a hurry?"
"Sort of. Just got a raise and I wanted to get home and tell the
wife. Sorry about that. Been following that guy for 3 missed lights
and he never got over 20. My fault."
The cop says, "Good raise?"
"Yeah, they took me on as an intern, and hired me today. 50 percent."
I was smiling ear to ear just thinking about it.
Cop says "Wow. Nice. I'm retiring myself - in 2 months."
I say "No kidding. You're a young guy. Whatcha gonna do?"
Cop says, "I bought a little dairy farm up in Wisconsin, near
Ladysmith."
That's way up there. North of Minneapolis.
"No ****!," says I. "It's beautiful there. I take the family to
Grindstone every year for our vacation. Man, it's good fishing."
So we start talking Grindstone, Hayward and Wisconsin fishing.
I think this guy bought a dairy farm just to get close to the fishing.
Probably how he sold the move to Wisconsin to his wife.
In the meantime, the young cop, who had his ticket book out, had
started fidgeting, then shaking his head, then stormed back to the
cruiser, slamming the door. Not a fisherman.
Me and Al - we got on a first name basis - continued to talk fishing
for a while, then he cut let me loose with a warning, and we all went
about our business.
Told me to be careful, and I said I would be. And I was - for a
while. Al was a nice guy. Met some good Chicago cops in my reckless
driving days. Always wondered how that dairy farm worked out for him.
Anyway, a smile and an apology often beats the rap. If you can talk
fishing, it's almost a lock. And give the Irishmen some blarney.
You a good smiler, John?

--Vic
..