"Whatcha DOin MISSSSter?

[Tagamet]

A large part of the pleasure I derive from dirtfishing is that I get a chance to do something outdoors and alone. I've worked with special ability kids for 34 years, so I'm not too interested in having children joined at the hip watching me search. When metal detecting and approached by a child, I usually try to "ignore them" or say that I can't hear well with the headphones on.
Recently, I only had a half hour free time, so I went to a nearby volley ball court/playground complex to pick up some clad. Almost immediately, a little Shirley Temple type came right up and said "Whatcha DOin MISSSSter? I broke my rules and said "Looking for money". She stood there a full minute before she said "Are you POOR?" I knew there was no acceptable answer that would not lead to an endless stream of questions, so I just said smiled and said "I'll be ok", turned off the machine, and left. I was sure that she was about to offer me her lunch money.
Nice kid.
Tagamet

 

[Mark in NC]

I've had kids trail behind me at the beach, kinda pondering what in the world I'm doing. Once I start digging though, they get braver and get closer, and closer, trying to look in the hole I'm digging! Most of the time (if it's a penny as usual) I'll say "Look! I found MONEY" and they get all excited. I'll then give it to one of 'em and wander on down the beach. They usually leave me alone, staring at their new-found wealth, while I put some distance between me and them. I've even given them trash I dug up, and they're thrilled beyond words with their "treasure".

HH'n

Mark in NC

 

[Tagamet]

I've never hunted a beach, but in our very small town, if I gave anyone ANYTHING, they'd go get their siblings, cousins, parents, maybe even pets, to line up for their turn to "get something". I'm sure that part of it is that in our tiny community, everyone knows everyone else (and the vast majority of people are related). If you wade in our gene pool, you don't get your socks wet. Real job security for a shrink...
Tagamet

 

[Bill Ladd]

Gutta love it! Kid's say the darnedest things That's what it's all about in my opinion.
I was field testing a beach unit recently, & ignoring alotta "treasure boy!" comments, and a little boy came over and asked what I was doing. When I said looking for coins he say's "COOL! can I try!?" I couldn't turn the little guy down, so I shortened the rod, removed the phones & cut him loose.....
He found 11 cents & ran to his parents like he hit the lottery....
Made me feel good asI remeber being hooked as a kid too...
HH, Bill

 

[Mark in NC]

n/t

 

[Jackpine Savage]

Wading in the Gene pool...
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[Mark in NC]

n/t

 

[Tagamet]

Jackpine Savage Wrote:
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> Wading in the Gene pool...
>

it's on the left when you're heading north. It's on page 48 of the phonebook. Just that page. Given that there are only 4 or 5 family names, they have to spell out all of the first names, B.B could be Billy Bob, Butter Bean, Barbi Bess, Becki Bob, Bennie Butch, etc. And of course they'd be at the same address, since the youngins marry each other. It was in the (weekly) paper the other day that they may come out with telephones without the crank on the side... The 23 of us that can read a bit try to spread the word as best we can. I sure hope that ID Edge manual has a lot of pitchers....
Tagamet

 

[mtdoramike]

with the smart comments, like one guy yesterday yelled ay me from across the field that if I found a Rolex Watch, it was his. I guess he was trying to impersonate Johnny Carson with that with that onec in a lifetime one liner. I yelled back, sure thing, but I charge a finders fee because posession is nine tenths of the law. Yelled back, what would that fee be, I yelled back on a Rolex watch, $2000.00. He stopped yellin, I stopped yellin and went on about my business.

 

[Tagamet]

mtdoramike Wrote:
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> with the smart comments, like one guy yesterday
> yelled ay me from across the field that if I found
> a Rolex Watch, it was his. I guess he was trying
> to impersonate Johnny Carson with that with that
> onec in a lifetime one liner. I yelled back, sure
> thing, but I charge a finders fee because
> posession is nine tenths of the law. Yelled back,
> what would that fee be, I yelled back on a Rolex
> watch, $2000.00. He stopped yellin, I stopped
> yellin and went on about my business.


On the other hand there are some pretty kind adults around. Last night I was searching "down town" after dark. I was laying on my side digging a signal in the grass, not far from the wagon wheel ruts, and thought I heard something. I looked up and there was Billy Bob out walking his pet goat Cute little thing (the goat, not Billy Bob). Anyway, I pulled back one earphone and he was actually asking "ARE YOU OK???" I guess he thought I'd had a heart attack and needed help. I did thank him for stopping to ask if I needed help, but I didn't tell him about the metal detector. I just told him I was "restin".
Tagamet