Who can you trust?

10.3..2015

 Some of you might remember when I reported that the gardeners, or yardmen, or "goon squad" (as I now refer to them) of my little rented house harvested the chiles from my jalapeño plant.  They were there one minute and gone the next.  Of course they denied doing it, but the list of suspects started and ended with them.

The chile caper happened some time ago, but the goon squad is here every Monday, so they have weekly chances to lie, cheat and steal.  And they took one this past Monday.

I heard the truck arrive and they goons unload, start-up, and start pushing their mowers, blowers and whackers around.  I heard them go in the back and I heard the truck leave.  They will often use their bigger equipment first then leave a man to mop up or do some hand trimming while they take the mowers and such to another client's location.  I looked around for any guy left over, didn't see one, and figured they didn't leave anyone this time.

Soon after all this, I began to hear a faint "chuk, chuk, chuk" sound.  I peered out the window in the front, nothing.  I checked the side, also nothing.  I gave up and went back to whatever it was I was doing.  Then I heard it again, and zeroed its location.  I looked out through the shutters and saw a guy, fully in the bushes at the front of the house, gently hacking at the base of the large bird-of-paradise plant that's there.  "Chuk, chuk, chuk."  I watched as he removed a good third of the bush, gently lay it on its side, then backfill the hole he just made.  Then he took the bird and put it in his bin and dragged it and his shovel to the corner, presumably the pick-up spot.  That's when I moved.

I went outside and found he spoke no English.  I pointed and said, "¿que pasa?" He said it's basura.  I didn't buy that it was trash (if it was trash, he'd put it in our green yard refuse bin).  I said, bring it to the back.  He did.  I took it from him and closed the gate.

I reported this to my landlord and he said the guy was probably taking it to another client and would charge them for it.  He wasn't happy about it but was glad that I didn't let it happen.

I dug out the hole in the back yard where the tree was before it fell and I now have a nearly-stolen bird of paradise in it.

Thief thwarted!

Tonight - Black Sands Brewery.  (by request)

Note that they close at midnight, but Toronado is just a block or so away for you night owls.

bye-ee!
whrr ... clik!