I lived out in the country in a wooded area that had a small, ~1.5 acre, field next to the house surrounded by Privet hedge with a few patches of Privet hedge dotted around the field. As you do when you’re young and dumb, I had a few plants near every patch of Privet and one at the edge of the field near the road.
One afternoon in late August, I was sitting cross legged next to some cow turds I’d brought in to grow some shrooms in the field, checking out mycelium growth and I heard the sound of a cutting/blow torch. It was confusing, as neither me or my roommates had one and I couldn’t really tell where it was coming from other than it was close. I didn’t have any close neighbors so that was ruled out. Every minute or so, I’d hear it again.
I happened to glance toward my driveway and saw an SUV drive by slowly pulling an enclosed trailer with a hot air balloon logo on the side. It clicks in my head that the sound I’ve been hearing is likely the balloon. I look around at the sky but don’t see anything. I walk back to the house and tell one of my roomies there’s a hot air balloon somewhere near and we walk out to the road and see the SUV pulled over about 100 yards away. A guy was out walking around with a 2 way radio, sees us, starts walking towards us. We walk in his direction and I say something about it being neat and he’s telling the guy on the radio that he’s talking to the owners and that he can land in the field.
I’m thinking, wait… what? as sight of this huge red and yellow balloon breaks the tree line over the road about 75’ above the ground headed towards my house. The panic hadn’t quite set in, but me and the roomie start speed walking back home discussing how what just happened, happened. Whole time, I’m resisting the urge to full on run.
As we get back to the driveway, I glance towards a 4ft tall, 4ft wide monster indica bush in full bloom located ~30 yards from the driveway on the edge of the field and started the internal debate of how likely they are to see it. Before I could even consider trying to snatch it up. In comes the balloon with a few kids and a couple adults. The bottom of the basket just clipped the top of some ~20’ tall Privet that lined the property and lands about dead center of the field just about where I’d had the cow turds. As the SUV pulls in, the first thing I notice is a black-blue-black “thin blue line” tag on the front bumper. My heart went to my throat, beating faster than it ever had before. Oh, god, is this guy a cop?
The SUV pulls into the field towards the balloon and then turns directly back toward the plant on the hedge line driving about 20 yards from it and then backs up to get the back of the trailer close to balloon. I’m full on panic mode, me and the roomie are asking each other if we thought he sees it followed by, nahs, I dunnos, and how can’t hes? His car was pointed directly at it.
Next, a van pulls up to the driveway and parks perpendicular to the hedgeline in the driveway (again the plant is ~30 yards away), the side door pops open and out comes a guy on a wheelchair ramp facing directly towards the plant. Other members of the people’s family who’d hired the balloon file out of the van. Soon, there’s about a dozen people walking around the field between the balloon and that van while the guys are loading it up. Kids playing, parents taking pictures smiling and laughing.
The whole time, wheelchair guy hasn’t moved far from the van since the terrain wasn’t accommodating with the chair pointed towards that plant, every once in a while looking back towards me and my roomie having a nervous breakdown on the porch with our arms crossed with a hand over our mouths debating our future freedom.
After about 30 minutes they all loaded up and left out, thanking us for our hospitality. I debated snatching the plant as soon as they were out of the driveway. I managed to talk myself into believing the wheelchair guy was cool and the “cop” driving the SUV didn’t see it or he would’ve busted me on the spot, so I left the plant. From then, til harvest, it stayed in the back of my mind that “they” were planning a raid.
Nothing ever came of it other than having a story to give when toking it with friends and learning that some shit, you just can’t predict or prepare for.
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I’ve run in the woods many times but never to a gazebo.