Beware, Absolutely no OM content to be had in this post, but figured
you all might appreciate hearing about my weekend.
Drifter comes through town. Has big sob story about needing to get
back to Sacramento. (sparing you the gory details--they're always gory
details, involving death, mayhem and children...). Hits up the local
charities for assistance. The charities (one of which my wife is the
president of), do their thing. Granted, his story(s) didn't hold much
water, but we figure 25% of the cases aren't legimate, anyway, so we
were always in the mode of limiting our losses on this one. The
background checks were inconclusive, but there were enough red flags
waving to make you think you were at a Nebraska Huskers football
game... We knew we couldn't get rid of him until Saturday Night, so we
made use of him and got a couple days of sweat labor out of him. ;)
Saturday night, we drop him off at the Amtrak station to get him on
his way. This was about 45 minutes or so before the train was to
arrive, but we were so tired of his constant chatter that we just
handed him his pass and made a road-runner cloud getting out of there.
A few minutes later, I get an email from Amtrak showing that he had
changed his destination. (surprise, surprise). So, five minutes later,
we show back up at the station, along with two police departments. (I
cancelled the rest of the ticket right then). The lies, lies and lies
were brilliantly told but completely ignored by us. We had his number
and the guy was in meltdown mode.
Shortening the story, we all decide that the best course of action
(since he had not committed any legimate crime and we really didn't
even want him in our county another night--even in jail) was to get
him to Omaha to the homeless shelter there and be rid of him out of
Iowa. So, the decision was made to relay him across the state from one
Sheriff to another. (four counties). We say our goodbyes and thanks
and head on home after he's sent on his way.
Back home, we get back to the task of studying for the next day when
something didn't sit right with me. A couple hours later I looked up
the Amtrak info and discovered that he had converted the funds on the
difference of destinations. Instead of our getting the refund, he
converted it to an eVoucher in his name. So, we're out $82 for the
difference. (He was not happy when I was able to score the ticket for
less than half the price of normal--he repeatably asked how I pulled
that one off). I'm more than a little ticked at this point and want to
have a "follow up conversation" with him.
Making a phone call, I find out that he had a complete meltdown on the
way and they had to stop at the hospital a couple counties over... So,
I do the foolish thing and get in my vehicle and head on over there...
By the time I get there, they had already discharged him. But I did
stop off and chat with the Sheriff. He had just got done handing off
the guy to the next county a few minutes earlier. We called that
Sheriff up and made arrangements to drop the guy off at an all-night
McDonalds to hold him there for me.
So I drive one more county over and at 2AM walk in the door and say
"Hi Bryan. We need to talk."
Poor guy just about fainted. He was in total panic mode. "How did you
know I was here?"
My response - "Why do you think you've been waiting here?" At that, I
pointed out the window at the Sheriff car sitting right out there and
waved. He waved back. I gave him a thumbs up and he drove off.
At that point, we had a literal and figurative "Come to Jesus
Meeting". It actually was a bit productive. If not, well, at least I
got his photo, email, phone number and a bunch of other information
that confirmed the research I did online as well as from what the
police found out. You know the trick of only asking questions you
already know the answer to? Yup. I had a TON of information on him.
Relatives' names, addresses, phone numbers, his history, etc. I think
I even saw his blood type.
I have him scared of ever riding Amtrak again (they have his
information flagged in their system) and of cashing in the eVoucher
because that would become an interstate crime and fall under federal
jurisdiction. I told him that he'll be able to get on the train, but
the police will be escorting him off at the next station. Etc.
At the end of our conversation, I pick up my phone, punch a speed dial
and only say "I'm done." I get up, walk out and the Sheriff car pulls
in as I'm leaving.
I really don't think he'll ever come back to southwest Iowa again. He
thinks I've got every police department there working for me.
Meanwhile, his information is being passed on to our sister
organizations--complete with mug shot.
It cost me a decent night's sleep and a half-tank of gas, but it was
well worth it. Besides, it gave the the law enforcement community
something fun to do. The local one there played it perfectly with me.
AG (sticking my) Schnozz (probably where it shouldn't be)
--
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