Monday, July 27, 2009

Someone Else's Secret

We live in one of the highest areas of the county. As a result there are many towers along the ridge we live on. Rumor has it that the tower company is looking for a site for a new tower. Because of that, no one here thought much of the helicopter that was flying around this afternoon. We all assumed that it was the tower company scoping out a new location for another tower.

I was out helping Papaw put the last wall on the new chicken house when we noticed that the helicopter seemed to be concentrating on our property, particularly the area where our property adjoins with the two neighbors properties. There is already one small tower in that area, so it made logical sense that the tower company would be looking there.

As we hoisted the last wall and tacked into place, we wondered whether they were putting in a small tower or a large one. We guesstimated how close the guide wire might come to the house if it was a large tower, and discussed the good and bad of having a tower on the property. Then we noticed that there was a vehicle pulled in front of the house.

Apparently, we had not heard it pull in over the helicopter and tool noise. I could only see the front end of the vehicle, but it was a familiar dark blue with gold stripes. The state police were parked in front of my house with a four wheeler in tow.

Rather confused and wondering what in the world was really going on, we approached the officers. They were rather stiff and formal with us, and in no hurry to answer our questions. They wanted to know who owned the property, where the property line was, and who all lived out here. Finally they told us that they had found marijuana growing.

Our reaction was disbelief and laughter. The officers were not amused. They explained that there was a well worn path to the spot, and even a little shelter. Little shelter; as in the kids' secret clubhouse. They asked a lot of questions, and walked around and looked at the different buildings on the property.

They left, obviously still not believing that we are as naive as we apparently are, to not know there was marijuana growing so near our house. They informed us that that spot is now marked on their GPS system and would be a regular stop for the helicopter inspections. As if we had something to hide.

Best we can figure here, after the fact, is that the spot must have been someone else's secret spot before the kids claimed it as theirs. The spot is not actually on our property, but right along the border with one of the neighbors. Who ever was using the spot as a garden must have had their plants indoors still when the clubhouse went up. Tim and I have not been to the secret spot since shortly after the clubhouse was built, adn obviously the kids do not know what marijuana plants look like. Though I did get the pleasure today of explaining to them what the plants are used for and why the state police were not happy they were growing here.

So next time we see a helicopter flying around the property, we will not be assuming it is the tower company looking for a good tower site. We can be pretty sure that it is the state police checking up on us. Tim says I should invite them in for coffee next time. Mamaw says that if I do I should probably not show them how I grow plants in my bathroom.

14 comments:

  1. Wow. Just wow. Between this, and the board of ed following your blog, I don't even know what to say.

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  2. Hmmm, couldn't get a read on if y'all think this is funny or not from reading your post. So, I'll stifle self and dedicate my last post on FB to you. :)

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  3. Who would put their plants so close to a kid's club house? Did the police destroy the plants?

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  4. LOL! Got any real happy deer up your way?

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  5. Sarah,
    They are watching us! ;)

    No we think this is all pretty funny. The state troopers though did not see the humor.

    Mary they did destroy the plants. We are guessing that was their spot before and they are thinking we put the clubhouse there as a deer blind or they are thinking "Who would put a clubhouse where we grow marijuana?"

    Penny haven't seen any! LOL! We did have a sick goat. Wondering if she ate some?

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  6. Did you really make extra money "working" at Cracker barrel? Or were you just selling your crash crop? That is so funny that someone was growing the stuff so close to the property line and the kids club house. To bad they won't catch who actually put it there.

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  7. Did you actually get to see the plant? Was it more than one? Exactly how close was it? Was there a path to the plant? I have so many questions. And who would do this? Have the kids ever seen anyone out there? I've been it a couple of times and never noticed the plant but then again I don't think I would. Even if I saw it I probably would just think it was something else. Oh how I wish I was there to take pictures of all this. LOL. It would have made a great scrapbook page for the calendar!

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  8. Jake, I'd probably be making a whole lot more if that was what I was doing....LOL!

    Delilah,
    They showed us the plants they had in the back of their truck. There were about ten. I didn't go out and look but Tim and dad did and I guess it was right in front of the clubhouse where it was cleared out a bit. So the path the kids used went right to the plants. Tim said he noticed holes there before but now the holes have potting soil where the plants once were. I guess the troopers left one plant behind. Pulled but still laying there. We left it there, but Tim did take a picture.

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  9. I am glad when the helicopters flew over my house all they found was tires. Of course they told me there was enough tires for it to be a felony. LOL

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  10. Holy cow!!! I wouldn't know a marijuana plant if I saw one, so they'd be safe here if anyone snuck onto our property to plant them. They'd not be safe from my son's crazy weed wacker, though.
    That is just incredible. Holly

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  11. As soon as you mentioned helicopters, I immediately thought that whenever we hear helicopters we KNOW they're looking for marijuana. Apparently our property was used for many years before we bought it. We find evidence occasionally. No actual plants, but there is a history. We keep waiting for the call.

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  12. What an AWESOME story, Stephanie! The second to last time we visited home, we were pulled over on a drug suspicion. What??!! I've never even seen a drug! Except coffee... James blamed it on my geranium leaves that I had drying on the dashboard (grin)

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  13. I love your blogs and i often visits your blogs..... thanks for sharing your post with us......


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    CREDIT CHECK everyone is approved

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