Rudy
Admin
Ok, not funny but ...
Ok, this one is not a funny thing that happened, but I think its worth while sharing.
This happened several years ago, when I still lived in San Jose. I was hunting the playground at this park early one morning when I was approached by a woman that was out walking her dog.
She tore into me telling me that I should be ashamed of myself for stealing the coins and trinkets from the kids. I tried to explain to her that I wasn't stealing since they had already lost them.
Well, she was still fuming and telling me in no uncertain terms that I should put it back or she would call the cops on me. Of course, I could have told her to go ahead and make the call (I had my San Jose Parks metal detecting permit in my wallet). Instead, I said "ok, I'll put it back, but on the condition that I put absolutely everything I found back."
She looked at me kind of funny, as if I was trying to pull a fast one on her, so I motioned for her to come with me to the nearest table which was barely 10 feet away.
When we got there, I proceeded to empty my treasure pouch pocket. Out came a hand full of clad ... pennies, dimes, quarters. All of around $2 buck worth. She was looking at me real smug like. Then, I started emptying my trash pocket. Rusty nails, pieces of wires, screws, pull tabs, a broken pocket knife, shredded can slaw. Her eyes went
and she asked if I found those at the playground. I told her yes, that as a matter of ethics we pick up the litter, as well as those things that could injure someone and then we fill back the holes so the place looks like we hadn't been there, except it was cleaner and safer than before.
She said her grandson comes to play here when he visits and she had no idea. She said she was sorry she gave me a hard time and to please continue and come back as often as I liked. She also said there was a grade school two blocks away and that I should go there too.
I've been back to that park and a few of those times she's been there with her dog. She made it a point to come by and say hello to me.
Ok, this one is not a funny thing that happened, but I think its worth while sharing.
This happened several years ago, when I still lived in San Jose. I was hunting the playground at this park early one morning when I was approached by a woman that was out walking her dog.
She tore into me telling me that I should be ashamed of myself for stealing the coins and trinkets from the kids. I tried to explain to her that I wasn't stealing since they had already lost them.
Well, she was still fuming and telling me in no uncertain terms that I should put it back or she would call the cops on me. Of course, I could have told her to go ahead and make the call (I had my San Jose Parks metal detecting permit in my wallet). Instead, I said "ok, I'll put it back, but on the condition that I put absolutely everything I found back."
She looked at me kind of funny, as if I was trying to pull a fast one on her, so I motioned for her to come with me to the nearest table which was barely 10 feet away.
When we got there, I proceeded to empty my treasure pouch pocket. Out came a hand full of clad ... pennies, dimes, quarters. All of around $2 buck worth. She was looking at me real smug like. Then, I started emptying my trash pocket. Rusty nails, pieces of wires, screws, pull tabs, a broken pocket knife, shredded can slaw. Her eyes went
and she asked if I found those at the playground. I told her yes, that as a matter of ethics we pick up the litter, as well as those things that could injure someone and then we fill back the holes so the place looks like we hadn't been there, except it was cleaner and safer than before.She said her grandson comes to play here when he visits and she had no idea. She said she was sorry she gave me a hard time and to please continue and come back as often as I liked. She also said there was a grade school two blocks away and that I should go there too.
I've been back to that park and a few of those times she's been there with her dog. She made it a point to come by and say hello to me.
RickO
