I think this must be a special kind of extortion. Way more sophisticated than a high school band putting fake flamingos in a yard, wanting money to come remove them.
When I left for town on Wednesday, I had barely pulled out of the driveway onto our gravel road when I saw a most unusual sight. I couldn't get a picture then, but I got one on the way home.
This is a load of rock dumped in front of our BARn field. IN THE ROAD! Who does that?
Of course the answer might be HICK. He would do that. We had a bunch of rain Tuesday morning, so I can imagine Hick ordering a load of rock, and saying, "The field is muddy. Just dump it in the road, and I'll move it with my tractor so you don't get hung up."
I sent the picture to Hick, with a text: "What's this all about?"
Hick replied: "Beats me."
What in the NOT-HEAVEN? A load of rock just appeared in front of our property? Rock is not FREE! It's quite expensive, actually. For a dump truck load, it's around $200 unless you know the hauler who owns the truck and do favors like wiring rental houses for him.
It's hard to pass by this pile. T-Hoe can do it, but anything bigger has to get off the side of the gravel road. Hick said he almost spun out in SilverRedO. You can see his ruts in the top picture.
Yes, we have a lot of potholes along this section of road. There's our driveway and dumpster up ahead, on the right. That rock is definitely needed there.
Hick said later that he paid the guy who drives around with a flat-bed trailer of rock, leaving piles to fill potholes, $100 for the rock, and spread it out with the tractor.
"I said the other day I wouldn't mind you giving him money for rock. Like when you and the other guys used to chip in, and have roadwork weekends blading and filling in the holes."
"Yeah. He was up and down the road earlier, between rains, leaving piles to work with later on his tractor. So I stopped him and gave him money."
"This almost seems like extortion! He drops a load of rock and blocks the road, then you PAY HIM, and DO THE WORK YOURSELF, heh, heh!"
"I'm going to tell him to bring me another load tomorrow, to finish the part up past our driveway."
Not that I object. But Hick should at least get his money's worth of rock. That's not a dump truck load.
You are right about rock being expensive! I spend thousands every year just to attempt to keep everything somewhat level No rock to be had last year means we will spend even more this year.
ReplyDeleteThe road has already absorbed the rock Hick spread out yesterday! It's a bottomless pit, never feeling full, even after eating $100 worth of rock!
DeleteWhen I think of rocks I imagine big, huge, almost boulder sized chunks of stone. I was a bit disappointed to see a heap of larger-than-gravel rocks.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry for click-baiting you! We call it all rock. Even the un-mined retirement nest egg of boulders down behind our house.
DeleteHick is getting his rock and shifting it around, too? Maybe he should dynamite a hillside and sell rocks by the side of the road. second thought... that might result in hard labor. Forget it.
ReplyDeleteI think Hick's two tractors could be of assistance with the hard labor. If it's profitable, he'll find a way.
DeleteI have never seen a lonely pile of rock in the road. Yes, it is rock.
ReplyDeleteYou've probably also never seen a ROAD ARM! Technically, I haven't either. But my son got a picture of it ON THE SAME STRETCH OF ROAD WHERE THE ROCK APPEARED! It was 8 years ago, though.
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