Could Have Ended Differently
I promised Ivy I would not do another construction story (at least for a while). So, this is not a construction story, however, it starts with construction.
I have had my share of perks in my construction life. Elaine and I have been on a cruise in the Gulf of Mexico that was a gift from my employer. (Elaine loved it, I don’t think I have ever been more miserable.) I have fished off the Mexican coast. (That is a great story, but remember, I promised not to do construction stories.) OK, if I could tell a construction story, the story would be about not being unable to get the anchor unhooked from the bottom of the Gulf.
My best perk, in my opinion, has been my Bobcat Club Car. (Google it) A few years back, I was managing construction of a project that was to be a Big-box home improvement store. (The blue one.) The project included construction of a couple blocks of city streets and everything that goes with that.
This particular project was scattered over several acres. My employers rented the Club Car to shuttle materials and dignitaries around the site. At the completion of the project, I returned to Club Car to the rental company.
At that time the rental company informed me that our company had rented the Club Car long enough that if we would pay sales tax only they would give us the Club Car. Our company chose not to “buy” the Club Car and avoid the need to transport it back to Arizona. I paid the tax and kept the Club Car. $102.67!
This is the end of the construction part of the story. And the happy part (at least for me).
Elaine (and I) loves the Club Car. We use it for hauling stuff around the ranch. Most importantly, we use it to get some quiet time away from the kids. Elaine and I go for drives around the ranch after dark for some quiet time.
Last Sunday, the kids were using the Club Car to clean up around the ranch. Both twins drive the car often. They also use it to help with their chores and drive over to the neighbors.
If I haven’t mentioned, our ranch is extremely hilly. I would not be exaggerating if I was to tell you there is at least 100′of elevation change on our property.
The kids (all three of them) were cleaning, clearing and throwing stuff in the Bobcat (that’s what we call it). They had it parked on a hill. I don’t know exactly who parked on the hill, but I think her name starts with an “I”. All three kids went off to work elsewhere, with Ol’ Bobcat parked on a hill.
A short time later, Boy Twin returned and threw some stuff into the back of the Bobcat. It started to roll. Stunned, Boy Twin watched it roll, hoping it would hit something and stop rolling. I heard Boy Twin yell, “Hey, the Bobcat is rolling!”
The Bobcat rolled right past a patch of currant bushes. It rolled right past a couple large rocks. It rolled through a couple small ”valleys” in the hillside before it stopped. It must have rolled at least 150′.
I ran around the house and asked, “Where is the Bobcat?” Boy Twin pointed down the hill. I couldn’t see it. I mentioned that it stopped, didn’t I? Well, it didn’t exactly stop. When I found it, Ol’ Bobcat had flown (literally) off a cliff. He lying with all four wheels pointed skyward in the trees at the bottom of the cliff. If you were wondering, that was my unhappy part of the story.
Upside down, resting on the top of trees, my Bobcat. I tried to use construction language, but none would come out. I was speechless.
I was thinking, “How are we going to get Bobcat out of the trees?’ Elaine and Ivy noticed the treetops were level with the ground downhill. “We can pull it out downhill from the other side of the cliff.” I was thinking, “I wish they would stop talking and let me think.”
The next morning I summoned two friends to help me get Bobcat out of the trees. I explained my elaborate plan to pull Bobcat up the cliff. My friends told me, ”Are you crazy, we are pulling it downhill right off the top of the trees.” Elaine and Ivy smirked at me.
We pulled Bobcat downhill with Elaine’s car. The entire job took less than fifteen minutes. Would you like to know the best part? There was NO damage! I’m not kidding. The trees created a “pillow” for Bobcat to land on. Elaine actually drove it home.
I know my way would have worked to pull it out of the trees would have worked, but I didn’t want to be bossy. Oh yeah, and taking the easy way is not always the best way.
The motor needs a little work from lying upside down all night, but other than that, it is fine. Maybe there is some validity to the “cats have nine lives” thing. I think Bobcat just used one of his.
Our crazy lives!
Monner