A Strange Man and a Tripod

Hello everyone! I hope you all had a fantastic groundhog day. Today, a strange memory came to mind and it made me laugh, so I wanted to share it with all of you. I hope you enjoy it!

If my readers aren’t aware, I studied Criminal Justice in college. I wasn’t ever really sure what I was going to do with that degree, but it interested me so I wanted to study it and had a goal of someday, maybe, working for the government or something along those lines. That didn’t work out; however let me tell you what happened in-between graduating and realizing that goal was not going to be reached. I think you’ll find this experience amusing.

So after I graduated college I was sending out application after application. Like most, I heard back from some and most of the time it didn’t work out. I also did not hear back from some and that was to be expected. Anyways, for some reason I applied to this private investigations company. I thought “wow! How cool would this be? I wonder what it’s like.” Well, I was about to find out, and it was nothing like I thought. Please keep in mind that the following events are true, and not from a scene in a comedy movie. 

I applied and I received a call back. I should have known right here how this whole experience was going to go. The “manager” (I don’t remember what his position was. This was in 2016 okay?) wanted to do a Skype interview. Naturally, I put on a nice shirt. Yes, my lower half had shorts on, but that’s beside the point. Before I knew it my Skype was ringing. “Okay, this is it. Interview time” I thought. I answer and this man has a Hawaiian shirt on and just looked so unprofessional. Not what I was expecting at all. His hair was a bit messy, bushy beard and right then and there I just knew deep down that this was not going to be what I thought. But I needed a job so I decided to stick with it and do a “ride along” with one of their private investigators the following weekend. 

I was instructed to meet this guy in Lowell, IN (still in the region, just a little south). I drove out there and realized the address I was given was an apartment complex. Keep in mind I still wasn’t one hundred percent sure what kind of P.I. company this was, what they did, etc. This had dangerous written all over it now that I think about it. Anyways, I pulled into the parking lot and called this guy because I had no idea what he looked like, where he was, or what kind of car he drove – until I saw a filthy, faded minivan on the far end of the parking lot. I knew right away that’s where I was going, and I was sure “This is it. This is my end.” Lol. 

Before getting out I obviously called his number and had him confirm that was his vehicle. Unfortunately, it was. So he opens the sliding door in the back and has his tripod standing up pointing out of the front windshield. Apparently, he was waiting/watching someone for insurance purposes. I’m still not sure to this day. Regardless, when you get into the back of a van with a strange man and see a tripod set up, strange thoughts start running through your head. Without a doubt I was ready to fight this guy if I had to haha!

I remember asking him “So, what do we do now?” To which he replied: “We wait.” My dumb*** sat there for three hours. This man was smelly, clearly not showered and tired from driving hours prior to this, barefoot and sitting in the back of a van where he obviously slept, with no air conditioning on IN JUNE. We sat there for three hours and I am pretty sure we didn’t talk much. So basically it was silent for three hours in a row. Once I realized how long I’ve been there not learning anything and how uncomfortable I was actually feeling in the back of a van with a strange man and a tripod, I called it quits. I randomly said “Alright, well I’m going to head out.” To my surprise (going against every horror movie I’ve ever watched) he said “Okay, so what do you think are you interested?” I said “No, not really.” He then graciously offered to drive me to my car. I declined and said I would walk. Keep in mind this is a big apartment complex, and I parked pretty far away from him, so it was quite the walk. But it was worth it to get out of that van. I then drove home thinking about how stupid I was for doing this and how much time in my life I just wasted sitting there.

After that experience I knew that was not the direction I wanted to go in. Now, it’s a funny story I enjoy telling, and when it pops into my mind, like it did today, I laugh. I’m glad I was able to share this with all of you. I hope you enjoyed my funny, creepy, gross, trying-to-find-a-job story! (Please know I am not diminishing what private investigators do. It did seem like hard work. But it was not for me and the situation I was in was laughable).

Have a great night,

Peter

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