So, remember a couple of days ago when I said I would go to that other cemetery for that new cache? Well, that didn’t happen as stated. That night, a new cache dropped about a mile from home. I was already in my pajamas and slippers, so I had no intention of going out to get it; I already had a cache for the day. Besides, the FTF would probably be claimed by the time I got up. It wasn’t. But I overslept a little later than usual, which was enough to compress my morning ablutions, taking any time I might have spent going to get it before work. No biggie. Besides, the FTF would probably be gone before I got off work. Oddly enough, it wasn’t. I had figured one of the FTF hounds would get it, but no. For a quarter of a second, I considered leaving it for today in hopes of getting an FTF in November, but reality kicked in. There was no way it would last that long. I left work and headed toward home with a little detour.
I parked in front of ground zero, in the shade on the tree-lined street. I remembered many years ago when this had been the airport. The old control tower was still visible nearby, though everything else had been torn up and replaced with an upscale inner-city neighborhood. Instead of a runway, I saw mixed-use development and, unfortunately, a child learning center. While this wasn’t a school, it felt a little too close to the concept for my tastes. It was also right at the time of day when parents would soon be getting off work and arriving for their children. I had to move quickly. I spotted the cache—a magnetic electrical plate—from my parked car, and it was right next to the center’s front door. From there, I did what I have grown adept at doing: I slipped up the steps, turned hard right past the door, grabbed the plate, and walked on to a less suspicious location. Once I put my signature into the FTF space, I reversed the process almost as fluidly, lingering a moment longer to ensure the plate was secure. Safely back in the car, I logged the new find, and my work was done.
Did I eventually get to that cemetery? Yes. Did I find the cache? Indeed. Was it easier than dodging parents looking for their kids? Probably. Should I have kept to my word? Maybe? Does anyone but me even care? Probably not. Do I even care that much? I don’t think so. But this is why I rarely discuss my future plans. Nobody knows when they might change on a dime!
Geocaching While Black 