choppadude
Forum Supporter
Yep those are the words I heard as I looked up from the target I was digging. I said "Excuse me" even though I am sure that I heard the lady correctly.
" I don't think it's right that you are doing that, it is some ones property" I rose from where I was and approached her, I stated that according to my research that this small park was indeed public property. " But you are digging a hole" I then stated that yes maam I WAS digging a hole and have dug several holes and invited her to find one. I told her that I always leave these areas in better condition than I find them and that I respect the fact that I am not the only taxpayer using this property.
" Well I guess that is OK then" she says. But she still seemed to be pondering something.
At this point I knew there were 2 roads I could take so I went with the one that felt right.
This small park is normally only occupied by the local welfare recipients who gather to drink some beer and smoke some weed and publically urinate like no one else could see. I had a feeling that this is the category this lady was squeezing me into. ( I should dress better when I go detecting LOL!) So In my politest voice I stated,
"Listen, that machine setting there cost almost $1500 and I will most likely not live long enough to find the amount of change I would need to pay it off. I do not do this for the money, If I did I wouldn't make enough to keep batteries in my machine. I told her I do it for the love of history and the artifacts that tell a story of those who have lived here before us." I shared with her my research of this area and what was here BEFORE the park was. I told her how many times I find broken bottles, razor blades and even syringes which I properly dispose of. I also told her how my truck bed usually fills up with the chewed up beer cans, bottles and fast food bags that I always seem to find whenever I come there.
I could see by her face that she was a little embarrassed for her assumptions. I tried to make her feel more comfortable, I saw that she was actually cooling down from a run when we first interacted, I shared with her that I was also a runner and that me and my wife are avid marathon runners. We chatted running for a few minutes then said our goodbyes wishing each other a good day.
I detected a couple more hours and made a couple good finds including a 1898 Barber dime.
There was a time I would have reacted differently, I am sure an argument would have ensued, feelings would get hurt and police would get called and the days detecting would have had a negative tone to it. But instead I made an acquaintance and possibly avoided any negative stereotype from being formed by this lady.
When I told my wife about it, she said I should have chewed the lady's @ss LOL!
" I don't think it's right that you are doing that, it is some ones property" I rose from where I was and approached her, I stated that according to my research that this small park was indeed public property. " But you are digging a hole" I then stated that yes maam I WAS digging a hole and have dug several holes and invited her to find one. I told her that I always leave these areas in better condition than I find them and that I respect the fact that I am not the only taxpayer using this property.
" Well I guess that is OK then" she says. But she still seemed to be pondering something.
At this point I knew there were 2 roads I could take so I went with the one that felt right.
This small park is normally only occupied by the local welfare recipients who gather to drink some beer and smoke some weed and publically urinate like no one else could see. I had a feeling that this is the category this lady was squeezing me into. ( I should dress better when I go detecting LOL!) So In my politest voice I stated,
"Listen, that machine setting there cost almost $1500 and I will most likely not live long enough to find the amount of change I would need to pay it off. I do not do this for the money, If I did I wouldn't make enough to keep batteries in my machine. I told her I do it for the love of history and the artifacts that tell a story of those who have lived here before us." I shared with her my research of this area and what was here BEFORE the park was. I told her how many times I find broken bottles, razor blades and even syringes which I properly dispose of. I also told her how my truck bed usually fills up with the chewed up beer cans, bottles and fast food bags that I always seem to find whenever I come there.
I could see by her face that she was a little embarrassed for her assumptions. I tried to make her feel more comfortable, I saw that she was actually cooling down from a run when we first interacted, I shared with her that I was also a runner and that me and my wife are avid marathon runners. We chatted running for a few minutes then said our goodbyes wishing each other a good day.
I detected a couple more hours and made a couple good finds including a 1898 Barber dime.
There was a time I would have reacted differently, I am sure an argument would have ensued, feelings would get hurt and police would get called and the days detecting would have had a negative tone to it. But instead I made an acquaintance and possibly avoided any negative stereotype from being formed by this lady.
When I told my wife about it, she said I should have chewed the lady's @ss LOL!
