FredL

OK, just a quick response for Officer John, then I must be about my business. Met a Mexican guy a few weeks ago that offered my son the opportunity to play on his Soccer team. I promised to introduce him to a couple of local contractors I know. He's a self employed brick layer and looking for subcontracting work. Impressive guy; played professional Soccer in Mexico and strikes me as very hardworking and honest. I'm going to miss our appointments if I waste alot more time on this.

Anyway....let me confess to my crimes:

2 1/2 years ago in the parking lot of a local strip mall, I noticed a number of Amur Maples just loaded with seed. I walked over and helped myself to two or three handfulls of seed. Several people were walking to and from their cars. Just lucky I guess that nobody called 911.

To tell the truth, I have done this sort of thing more than once. Call me a serial seed thief.

Ok, worse than that: In the community of Bella Vista, there are hundreds of lots left from the days of land promotion 20 or 30 years ago that have never been built on. Some are owned by folks in California and Kansas, many have reverted to the Property Owners Assocition for failure to pay dues or taxes. Many of them are way out from the center of the community on roads that have never been paved. The drainage ditches have filled in and the forest has encroached on them as well as, in many places, the road itself. Pretty much, I confine my collecting to seedlings, bit I have collected a few somewhat larger trees. All from the roads or drainage ditches beside them. There's not much point to collecting on the actual lots people own; they're mostly covered with deep forest. A couple of times folks from the local crime watch drove by. They ignored me.

OK, report me to the POA. I will throw myself on their mercy.

Now, this is the really bad one and I have to admit to some qualms even in my criminal mind about it:

About 2 miles from my house, there is a real eyesore of an area used by ATVers, who have left their trails and carnage all over it, and as a dump for everything from beer cans to old refrigerators. The soil under the area is very poor and very thin, with the result that the vegetation in the area, including a very large population of Shortleaf Pines is severely stunted. I don't really know who owns it. From a couple of newspaper articles I saw awhile back, I think it may be a private investment firm who is planning to some day buld a resort hotel on it. I think they've had trouble getting financing for it. Anyway, I will admit to having gathered 6 to 10 seedlings and very small trees on two different occasions from it.

OK, there it is. I'm wondering: should I turn myself in to the local Sheriff Department?

But before you answer: As I said earlier, I observe speed limits religiously. I am not accepting answers except from people who can honestly say they have not driven over the speed limit ever for the last two or three years. I equate my first offense to driving 71 mph on one of our freeways; my second to, perhaps 75 and my final and worst to, say 80. If you feel my offense should be punished, would you not agree, even as yours should be?

Fred