mistaken for a utility locater today, then yelled at

[jjg70]

I was out metal detecting in a big yard today and i noticed an elderly man driving by and watching me, then he turns around and parks along the road. I took my headphones off and walked over and he starts yelling "your not doing your job very well". what i should tell you now is that utility company is boring fiber optic underground along the road. I figured he thought i was with the utility company, so i asked him what was wrong. He stated that his water and cable had been cut and what was i going to do about it since i did a bad job of locating. Then i told him i was just metal detecting and wasn't a locater. He was suprised and apologized and thanked me for letting him blow off some steam, then asked what i was looking for and what i had found. He said he had a white metal detector and hadn't had it out for 20 years. He said his dad had buried gold on their farm but he could never find it. I might have to follow up with him and help him find his gold after he gets his water back on

 

[RJGMC]

It sounds like a nice elderly gentleman that might like a cup of coffee and a few fresh donuts or Cinnamon rolls. And there you are with you sitting pants on to visit a while. The things you find when you are not even hunting for them!

Best of luck with your new friend!

Bob

 

[joeman]

Heh, heh...

Some of those 'Old Birds' are kinda' weird. Today, this Old guy walks over to the 'Football/Soccer' field that I had 'Just Started' detecting and stands 'directly behind' me. I mean, he was JUST in his driveway and all of a sudden he's behind me... and DOES NOT SAY a word. Eventually I get up (from digging a small pocket spill) and stare at him and he just stares back at me. Feeling a 'bit' unnerved, I say 'Mornin'. He grumbles something that sorta' sounded like 'Yep, Mornin' and that was it..... I wasn't in the mood, so I just continued with my detecting.... IT was Weird.

 

[Frankn]

Did he say that in French or English?

 

[Michigan Badger]

I got permission to hunt the yard of some old folks and I was really excited because I was testing out a new (new then) Tesoro Tejon. I soon found the yard was loaded with ca. 40's wheats down deep (yard had been filled in). It was a corner lot and had a path across it that kids used to get to the stores and school. Within 15 minutes I had about a dozen wheats and one cheap ring when all of the sudden the old land owner was standing in front of me so that I couldn't swing the coil. I smiled and turned and there he was again. He started talking about old times and whatever and after trying to be polite and return to hunting for about a half hour I finally gave up, sat down in one of his lawn chairs, and chatted with him for about an hour. I never returned to that area to detect.

 

[Lowbatts]

I'll be your friend if you become his friend!

Get on that story!

 

[I.B.Diggin]

AttN.!!! MICHIGAN BADGER, why not take the time to listen to the old gent and maybe learn about some new places to detect?? Hmmm? ever thought about it? oh well, just my opinion!

 

[Woodland Detectors]

Classic!

 

[Bum Luck]

I got permission to hunt the yard of some old folks and I was really excited because I was testing out a new (new then) Tesoro Tejon. I soon found the yard was loaded with ca. 40's wheats down deep (yard had been filled in). It was a corner lot and had a path across it that kids used to get to the stores and school. Within 15 minutes I had about a dozen wheats and one cheap ring when all of the sudden the old land owner was standing in front of me so that I couldn't swing the coil. I smiled and turned and there he was again. He started talking about old times and whatever and after trying to be polite and return to hunting for about a half hour I finally gave up, sat down in one of his lawn chairs, and chatted with him for about an hour. I never returned to that area to detect.

I laughingly call that "the old guy tax".

It's tough when I'm working, but a lot of times it pays off even then with good info.