Close Encounters Of The Muggle Kind

[+Pioneer 'n' Tiff]

I was chasing a multi cache in donwtown El Cajon, CA. A couple of prior attempts in this high traffic area had failed so I took the chance late yesterday afternoon. Great - no one around. The hunt is on!

 

Third of three caches, quick peek around, no one withing sight, retrieve. Ahhh...now to sit on the nearby park bench and write the log. Head down in the log when from no where, this Muggle walking his dog (a purple poodle no less) comes and sits down beside me. WTF? There are like a dozen benches in the park, why did he pick THIS one? Maybe he's gay? Maybe he's another geocacher? I stash the cache in my bag and the two of us sit at opposite ends of the bench in silence for a few minutes. Then it starts.

 

Him: Nice day isn't it.

Me: Yup.

 

7 minutes of silence.

 

Him: Nice bicycle you have there.

Me: Thank you.

 

9 more minutes of silence, finish my Pepsi. Leave it in my bag.

 

Him: There use to be more ducks in this pond.

Me: Uh huh.

 

6 more minutes of silence, I walk over and put the empty Pepsi in the trash, return.

 

8 minutes of silence, then a fire brigade truck roars past.

 

Him: Must be a fire somewhere.

 

No response from me. I've been sitting here for over half an hour contemplating what is this guy up to? Shouldn't that be a question he should be asking about me geocaching? (sarcasm) The sun is setting and a breeze has started up so I grab a sweater out of my bag. On the breast pocket is a yachting emblem over a silhouette of the map of Australia.

 

Him: You're not from around here?

Me: No sir, I'm Australian.

 

Oh geez...it slipped out even before I had time to think about it. Then he starts...Steve irwin, Crocodile Dundee, Fosters, blah blah blah. Meanwhile, I'm mentally praying to any God I can think of to ask Him to move this guy on. 15 minutes later, finally, his wife shows up, he introduces her and they go on their merry way.

 

50 minutes it took before I could return the cache back to it's hiding place!

 

Moral of the story: Muggles will muggle you, even when they don't recognise they are running "muggle-interference" .

[+planetrobert]

that is an awesome story... had that happen before too.