An uncomfortable encounter.

[Winz]

     I was driving through some of the back roads in my area yesterday and spotted a nice looking brownie on the porch of a run-down house.  I turned the truck around at the first opportunity and doubled back to try a "cold call" acquisition.  The dirt driveway was about 300 feet south of the house and the gate was closed.  Wanting to get a closer look, I pulled off the 2 lane road directly across from the house, walked across the road and scouted.  The house was set back 100 feet from the road and appeared dark, however there were 2 trucks parked near the house.  It did not look like anyone was home, so I turned around, crossed the road and got back into my truck.  I just started the motor when this guy comes walking across the road:



I shut down the motor, got out and engaged in the following conversation:[size=78%] [/size]
Me:  "Hi, is this your house?"
DG (Deliverance Guy):  nods yes
Me:  "I was driving by and saw that brown grill on your porch, is that a Weber grill?"
DG:  no response
Me:  "It looks like a grill my dad used to own and I was wondering if you might consider selling it?"
DG:  "Nawwww".  After a long, confused pause, "Why are you looking at my house"?
Me:  "As I said, I saw that brown grill as I drove by and was interested in seeing if you would consider selling it to me"
DG:  Long, uncomfortable pause while looking my truck over: "What's your name?"

I realized at this point that I was not going to get the grill and furthermore, needed to do something to reassure this guy that I was not casing the place for a future break-in.   It was eerie and I had the feeling that this guy was just looking for an excuse to exercise his right to bear arms.   I handed him my card and told him to give me a call should he change his mind and drove away.  It was a very uncomfortable encounter – I think I am going to stick to craigslist for a while (unless of course I spot a MTH - some grills are worth getting shot at...).


Winz

[1buckie]

Come down out of the woods....Texas Onion just sent me this:

http://sacramento.craigslist.org/for/4884992363.html

Of course, I do know some people have banjos down here too.....

[Jeff]

A brownie isn't worth risking my life for...now a yellow, baby blue, or Wooddale???  I'll have my WKC approved bullet proof vest on for!

[Jammato]

A brownie isn't worth risking my life for...now a yellow, baby blue, or Wooddale???  I'll have my WKC approved bullet proof vest on for!

remembering the movie, you think the vest protects enough, do not want to hear about you squealing like a pig

[Harleysmoker]

Been there, kind of... I had my eye on a red head for along time now. One day I drove down the ally behind the house, figured out which door to knock on. There was a bunch of Hispanic kids in the front of the house, so my wife knocked since I don't speak Spanish. I was watching her the whole time, she came back to the car and said the woman answered the door with blood on her face, and said, I don't think he wants to sell his grill.

I have passed this house many times in the last year, and it is still sitting in the same spot, like it never moves.

For all I know the bottom could be rusted out. I am still thinking of stopping by again, maybe take a couple of my Mexican Male friends this time.

[MrHoss]

I'd have stopped for a Brownie too. Take care out there Winz.

[mirkwood]

That area has more than a few working meth labs so yeah you really need to be very careful..

[Winz]

remembering the movie, you think the vest protects enough, do not want to hear about you squealing like a pig

The image of Ned Beatty in his underwear haunts me to this day.  That is something you can't un-see. 

Winz

[crumbsnatcher]

And that's why I don't go knocking on doors. Be safe out there @Winz and everyone else.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[5280Jeff]

Good thing you didn't ask to see his "cooker"!

[SixZeroFour]

lol - I can just imagine that strange uncomfortable pause while he checked out you and your vehicle! All I'm envisioning is this...



About 6 months ago I was on the way home from picking up a brownie of all things! when I caught a glimpse of a red kettle in some guys side yard. It was about 10:30 am and I couldn't wait any longer before heading home so I decided to go for it and knock on the door. Some dude answers with no shirt on and is clearly not impressed. After a few min of explanation and trying to talk him into consider selling it he finally says "OK, come take a look." I walk around the corner and in front of me stands a beat to hell Happy Cooker  I then had to tell him I was no longer interested then more or less dove into the Jeep and got the hell outta there

[MartyG]

Good story Winz! Reminds me of the first MidAtlantic meetup last year where more than a couple members felt a little uneasy coming to my place, and for good reason. Although we're close to civilization, we live along a gravel road with a steep winding driveway (no escape!) leading to our house. Plenty of no trespassing signs up, and an iron gate near the bottom of the drive. If it weren't for the hastily made WKC plywood sign pointing up the hill, I doubt anyone would have showed up. Had it been someone else's place, I'm pretty sure I would not have made that final turn, and I guarantee my wife would not have even come down the gravel road.

Everyone lived to tell the tale, but I'm already thinking about how to make the place friendlier for this year's meetup. Maybe I need to learn me some banjo...

[MartyG]

My advice? Never knock - always use the door bell:

[zach1234]

haha, funny story.  So what you're saying is that freestyling picking is not as glamorous as Mike Wolf and Frank Fritz make it appear on American Pickers?

[Winz]

I drove past deliverance guy's house again today.  Here is the brownie I was referencing in my original post:





Sorry for the image quality - I was going about 30 mph.  I don't dare stop again...


Looks like it has a really nice fade.


Winz