The grumpy old man

Monday comes, after a really grueling weekend, I am off to "cache" up on a few things. Replacing wet logs, replacing muggled caches...and the likes. On my to do list, is to go into town, and do a few errands. It was while I was in town, I decide to look up a few caches in the area. I have been carrying a TB that needs to be dropped. The first challenge is to find a cache that is big enough to hold him. Seems like everything is a micro! Ok, so I see where there is one located not far from where I was, according to the log, it looks like a regular size, and according to the map, it appears to be out in the country. Great...no woods...no ticks....this will work out fine!

I arrive in the general area, and slowly drive by, checking out the site, I do a turn around a little ways down the road. I pull up to the sight, and pull off the road, it is on a corner ( typical bush hide) I look around...no one...I get out...I grab the cache...I return to my car. EZ ! As I am signing the log, decide to do a travel shoot ( while in the car) and as I am stuffing this TB into a small container, I see this gentleman, riding down the road on a John Deere tractor. From now on, I will refer to him as Grumpy old man !( GOM) He drives by me...and if looks could kill, I would not be writing this ! He turns left, and drives on. I am now done, and need to replace the cache...I drive down the road, and do a turn around in the nearest driveway, and as I am headed back...here comes GOM ! So, I am thinking, he must be going to mow...and of course, he is going to mow, exactly where I need to return the cache! So, as I am coming to the intersection, I am trying to decide "how to do this!"

The phone rings, and I can tell, by the tone, it is Peanut...."whatch ya doing? " This is good, I will explain the dilemma to her and she will have a good suggestion. As I am sitting at the stop sign, talking on the phone...here comes GOM and he pulls right up to my car window ( on the JD) and he is hollering at me.....hmmmm...so I roll down the window, clearly I am on the phone, but he don't care. So, I tell Peanut, I will call her right back...and as I am hanging up, I can hear her saying...No, don't hang up!

On my side of the phone, I see GOM as harmless, but I am also thinking he is going to be making a citizen arrest ! On peanut's side, she hears GOM, and pictures Barney Fife and thinking he could possibly be carrying the 1 bullet, he is allowed!

The following conversation takes place:

GOM: what you doing? ( sternly)
Me: ( sweet little geocacher) nothing
GOM: what business you have out here? By now, I am taking in the whole look and attitude....he doesn't really look like a fellow cacher...( lawnmower was the give away)....but maybe his kid or something has that cache, and he is seeing if I am gonna admit I am geocaching. So, before I can decide on the game plan...
GOM: There has been robberies down here and I want to know what your business is ! So, by now I am trying to decide if he thinks I am running "a business" from this corner, or if he thinks I am robbing houses! Really? I mean REALLY ! It is noon on Monday...I wouldn't be doing either ! I mean it is only noon! So, I decide to play it straight.
Me: Have you heard of geocaching? ( no answer) A world wide game using Gps? ( no answer)
Me: ( cheery and smiling) Well, there is one hidden right over there, and that is why you may see some people stopping and
GOM: I seen it, plastic container under the bush, but I ain't touch it.
Me: Oh....okay..... so I stopped to get it and
GOM: I seen you

Wow, and he is getting madder, so now I don't know if he is mad, that I am on public property, at an intersection or if he is mad, that I took the plastic container that "he seen"
Me: Well I needed to drop off a Travel bug and ( ok...this is not working) Do you live around here? ( trying to make small talk)
GOM: Yup, down the road there, where you turned in my driveway. I seen you, Been robberies out here
Me: well since you know about this, I might as well just put the container back.
(I get out of my car, holding the cache)
Me: See the little travel bug, he started in Germany, and he wants to go to New Zeland, and I got him in California and ( no response, just staring me down) so I will just go put this back now...

He stands guard, as I go to the bush to return the cache ( mean little sucker) and I am now whispering to the TB...I am sorry, I have to even leave you here with the mean guy, but hopefully someone will come get you, real soon. As I get back into my car...

GOM: You get out of here now..GO! Wow, I was really tempted to ask him, if I had at least till sundown! ( Ma always told us to be nice, but really! )

As I drove away, I can see him in my mirror, sitting on his little John Deere, wearing a little reflective vest, and those glasses, the kind that turn dark, when you are in the sun...with that mean little face, just watching me, making sure I am leaving town!

I sooooooo wanted, to roll down the window and yell at him " My John Deere is bigger than yours!" But I didn't!

( Ma would be so proud!)