Here’s a funny shuttle story, I must tell. If I thought
incrimination would be a result of sharing the story then my lips would be
sealed but I talked to my lawyer, (who happened to be involved in the incident
too. He made sure it would not hold up in a court of law.)
If you've shuttled vehicles or had your vehicle shuttled to
a takeout eventually you will have a funny story to tell, such as getting two
flat tires, or getting lost trying to find the takeout. This time I happened to be the shuttle drive,
because I had to work that day, kindly I volunteered myself as the shuttle
driver.The night before I
vaguely saw the truck and knew he was pulling a trailer, the truck was a Toyota
Tundra, but I didn’t bother to positively identify the color and assumed the
trailer had a boat on it. The instructions
verbalized were, leave the key in the secret spot at the put in, simple, right.
I arrive at the put-in and see two trucks with trailers
attached, one is a Nissan and the other is a brown Toyota Tundra. The Tundra
keys are in the place we had agreed on, so I thought this must be it even
though it was pretty clean on the inside for someone that had been traveling
for a few days. I get in the truck and drive to the takeout listening to Garth
Brooks play on the radio. I arrive at the takeout and fish a run. It’s getting
dark and I decide to get a ride back to my car with another boater.
I’m almost home when
the phone rings, it’s my friend and she says; “the truck at the take out, ahhh,
isn’t ours.”
The car stops, we talk about the options, drive back and pick
them or they can drive the truck out that isn't theirs. Her husband happens to
be a lawyer and says “I’ve never committed grand theft auto.” This is not an
intentional car theft. Really, I did not see Tundra in the parking lot. Later I
find out that he had detached the trailer from the hitch because he had a raft
and was going to roll it up. I was looking for a Tundra with a trailer attached.
The Tundra make’s it back to the put-in, and the keys are
placed, “in the secret spot.” I had left my waders and rod in the truck because
the person I got the ride with had a packed car and I had my two 70 pound dogs.
My friend grabs the waders and rod, but later I discover she also grabbed an Echo
rod tube and a cream colored canvas bag with Barbra’s cookies in it. So if you
happen to be missing those items please give me a call and I would be happy to send
them back to you.
Lesson learned: Never assume your friend’s truck is going to
be the only one of that make and model and get a positive I.D the night before.
