Pub Club TR: My truck...abducted by aliens?

[chelle]

For those of you who are bored and want a laugh (at my expense)...

 

4:15 pm: Tuesday evening in Seattle was beautiful. I spent the afternoon with Chris_w getting my computer dialed in so I could print some topos for my Yosemite road trip.

 

6:00 pm: We decided to grab some Thai food before the pub club at the Ballroom. Saw 009 hanging out at the Ballroom and caught up on the work soap opera. Said we'd chat more later and crossed the street to eat. Had a good dinner.

 

7:20 pm: Got to pub club. Enjoyed a couple (note only two beers consumed) of beers, saw friends, shared some climbing stories, and finalized the plans for the road trip.

 

10:38 pm: Left the bar to get some sleep.

 

10:45 pm: I'd parked my truck a few blocks from the bar and when I walked up the hill I started to wonder where it was. I didn't see it where I had left it, walked up and down the corner where I thought I parked. Crossed the street to the street sign and checked that I was on the right block. Paniced because my truck was loaded with nearly all of my material possessions. My complete climbing rack, my tent, my down sleeping bag, my down coat, my CD collection... Oh shit! How could this be happening?

 

10:50 pm: Ran home. Called the cops and filed a report. Ranted with my roommates about what a jerk someone has to be to do something like this.

 

12:30 pm: Tried to get sleep, but maybe got 4 hours.

 

Wednesday 7:30 am: Got up feeling totally violated, but thankful that I had insurance that covered my losses. Called the insurance company. Called Chris_w to see what time he got home to see if he saw the truck. He didn't see it when he got home.

 

8:10 am: Called Erik to get some advice from an expert on what to expect from the insurance company. Hung up after a brief chat and then got really angry at my situation. Cried out of frustration. Told myself it isn't that bad. Stuff can be replaced. I should focus on being thankful for a lot of the really good things in my life.

 

9:30 am: Erik suggested getting out of town to climb at Castle Rock. Grabbed my glacier harness and my 5.10 mountain Masters, and my one remaining Petzl spirit caribiner. Waited for my ride.

 

12:30 pm: Got to Castle had a great day climing in the sunshine. Tried to forget about my situation. Chilled out on the rocks thinking about letting go of my anger and that there is so much to be happy about. Good friends, good weather, my health, nine months off work to climb and travel... If I let this upset me then the jerk who took my stuff would win twice. Steal my stuff and also steal my spirit.

 

9:08 pm: Got home. Talked to family on the phone. Hung out with my roommate. Watched a little t.v.

 

11:10 pm: Went to bed to get some sleep.

 

11:30 pm: Cell phone rings in the other room. Chris_w on the line asking if I drove by his house. Said he thinks he saw my truck. Offers to pick me up and drive over. Get dressed and wait on the curb.

 

11:35 pm: Stare dumbfounded at my truck. Doors locked, stuff inside, no damage... Parked in nearly the exact spot it was left on Tuesday night. WTF! I am not crazy! The damned thing WAS NOT THERE 24 hours earlier. Don't have any idea what to say. Get in. Drive home.

 

11:40 pm: Call the police and cancel the stolen truck report. Nice woman on the phone laughs with me about the situation. Whew! Not in trouble with the cops.

 

Midnight: Unload all of my stuff from the truck. Go to bed still scratching my head about what happened and giggling with embarrassment.

 

I have no explanation about this whole Twilight Zone experience. Perhaps it was abducted by aliens who are curious about the life of a road tripping climbing chick.

 

Spray away!

 

 

[ 09-12-2002, 10:36 AM: Message edited by: ehmmic ]

[Cpt.Caveman]

 

Alien truck abduction zone-

 

[bobinc]

It's possible it never moved. I know a guy who "lost" a rental car for nearly 5 days in Sacramento because he parked it in an obscure parking garage when he was in a hurry to get to a meeting.

 

But maybe it was aliens.

[allison]

That is SO weird!

 

Glad it all worked out!

[Doug]

Years ago I was living in a condo (irrelavent). An old college buddy (Ed) began dating a gal I knew who lived in my building. Another old college bud (Guy) ran into Ed's ex-girlfriend and she asked guy if he would return some of Ed's stuff to him for her. Some of this stuff incuded a set of key's to Ed's car.

 

Now Ed's relationship was really beginning to blossom, and he was spending the night at his girlfriend's place on a fairly regular basis.

 

Guy and I cooked up a plan to mess with our old buddy. I took the set of keys and a couple of times per week, late at night, I would move his car at first 10 feet or so (parked on the street). Sometimes, if we parked in a guest parking spot, I'd move it to another.

 

At first, Ed was acting funny, like something was amiss and he either couldn't figure it out, or didn't want to admit it.

 

After the next couple of bold moves (across the street) he began to get a little irritated

 

After he began talking about it and was convinced someone was fucking with him, we finally fessed up.

 

So, ehmic, could this be happening to you?

[rbw1966]

Friend of mine used to brag about what killer gas mileage he got from his Subaru as compared to my 4runner. The guy monitored his gas usage like a nasa scientist. Anyhow, I soon learned he hid a spare key in the normal place in case he lost his keys whilst out climbing. Well, lets just say that he started getting REALLY good gas mileage, like hybrid style, before he suddenly started getting REALLY crappy mileage.

 

Then, as suddenly as it started, it stopped. Drove him crazy.

[chelle]

Doug - My dad asked the same quesiton. I suppose that's possible, but to do that one day before I was supposed to leave on my road trip would be pretty mean. A few friends know where my spare key is, but they haven't fessed up. My first thought was that my roommates were playing a joke.

 

If someone was trying to teach me a lesson, 1) Don't drive to pub club when it's only 8 blocks from home. 2) testing whether I really believe that people and experiences are more important than things. 3) who knows what else I was supposed to learn...I got it. Please don't do it again.

 

Michelle

[fern]

One afternoon (at band camp) my friend and I found his car parked in the same spot he had left it in the morning but facing the opposite direction and the alarm had been tripped. We assumed that it had been towed, then later returned when they realized he did have a parking pass.

[chucK]

 

This might be some good reading on your trip!

[chucK]

Did you set your keys down for even a minute or two whilst at the pub club?

[Dru]

did you check to see if your credit cards had had their numbers hijacked?

[offwidthclimber]

maybe it was the exit 38 bandit !

[Walter_Burt]

What kind of truck? I had my 1986 Toyota Xcab longbed w/ 218K miles on it (known fondly by my friends/climbing partners as the "mobile compost heap) with some miscellaneous gear in it stolen from outside my front door this last winter. My wife and I had an argument the next morning when we noticed it gone about who drove it last and parked it where as neither of us could fathom it being stolen.

 

It turned up three weeks later a few miles north of us - the cops think someone "borrowed" it for a drug run. Evidently, older Toyotas and Nissans are popular for that as the manufacturer only used all of four key patterns for their trucks for a number of years. By the way, nothing was missing except the ashtray, which had some pennies in it. I don't smoke, so no big deal.

[Terry]

Walt are you kidding? All your climbing friends took up a collection and gave it to the "thief" to steal the weiner truck. After he drove it half-way across town he decided that wasn't nearly enough money to be seen driving that rig around Portland. He was mad that we wouldn't up the offer and returned the truck. He wouldn't give us the money back either...

[mattp]

Mine has been borrowed twice. Once, it was driven over and into things and then abandoned in an alley on Capitol Hill for a month where a bum took up residence. I got four parking tickets, although the broken steering collumn and doorlock were quite obvious -- I guess reporting stolen property is not the job of parking enforcement. And then, when I got it back, it smelled like hell (still does). Not too long after this, it was stolen a second time. But I guess they didn't like the smell because they drove it four blocks and got out and stole a newer model.

[vegetablebelay]

Could it have been one of those "Fremont Tornados"?

 

 

[ 09-12-2002, 04:03 PM: Message edited by: vegetablebelay ]

[jaee]

True Story:

My friend's wife's sister (1st step, distance yourself from the alleged yarn) is an attractive blonde young lady. She noticed while she was in high school that she was getting really terrible mileage in her old clunker.

 

Time went by and she began complaining to friends, etc. Eventually she told some of her brothers that her car seemed to move to different parking spots, and would end up with the floorboards covered with beercans and the ashtray full of butts. They started paying attention and as they were driving around town, saw her car with a load of ruffians cruising town. Evidently, these guys had found a key that worked in her car and had been progressively more bold about skipping classes and joyriding in her car during the school day.

[carolyn]

That is way wierd michelle!

 

Glad things worked out.

 

Im really impressed with your attitude and ability to go have some fun despite the situation...especially on a day that, in general, had the potential to be difficult.

 

to you!

 

Enjoy your trip.

[ILuvAliens]

ehmmic.

 

Hey this could be the blessing of a lifetime. Could have been a moment of synchronicity. But really how tossed were you. Good times!

[sk]

Soo glad all turned out for you...

 

From one michelle to another

[RURP]

This is RURP:

 

Miss Ehmmic says: "walked up and down the corner where I thought I parked. Crossed the street to the street sign and checked that I was on the right block. Paniced because my truck was loaded with nearly all of my material possessions."

 

My theory...the car never moved, but the girl did. Bar and darkness = confusion. Confusion leads to panic. In the scenario, I did not see any attempt to find the car the following morning when the girl is sober and there is enough light to see. That should have been the first step the next day. Instead, more anguish, phone calls, worry and so forth.

 

I am also disturbed that she keeps nearly all her worldly possessions in her car...homeless style. This is usually not a good plan unless you are either homeless or actually on-the-road.

 

RURP has spoken.

[chelle]

RURP, I can't dispute that you may be right, given the evidence. It is possible that it was there the whole time and I got confused on a not very familiar street. One thing I know is that I had only two beers that night and did not smoke any herb. In the big scheme of things I guess it doesn't really matter if someone played a joke, borrowed it for a drug run, or if I was clueless. I got my stuff back and am leaving for the valley this afternoon.

 

I think it's good to laugh at oneself and this was a funny story I thought would entertain some of the gang on this board.

 

As for my homeless style of packing. I was planning to leave on Wednesday at 6 am for my trip. The fact is that my truck, climbing and camping gear, my CDs and my computer are my only posessions of value (other than a bit of furnature that stays in my house). Usually I keep my gear in my house. Next time I'll wait until just before I hit the road to pack the truck.

 

Cheers!

[AA]

wow michelle! bet you never expected that! pretty crazy, glad to hear you are on your way down to the valley with all of your beloved gear and vehicle.. all of that anger/frustration/contemplation has i'm sure in some way made you appreciate what you have even more now, especially now that you have it back!

thanks for the fun wednesday- it was great to get acquainted... have a great trip and let me know when you're back in town!!

[chelle]

AA - it was fun hanging with you too. Thanks for the good wishes. You bet I appreciate it all much more. I won't be complaining about how heavy my tent is any time soon.

 

I'll pm you when I'm back in town.

[oo9]

WHut up SiLLY

Glad you found the wheels

Two beers? Yeah Right

I hope yer having a good time in YO

It was me babe