evan price
05-06-2010, 10:27 PM
So there I was...
It was about 6pm, and I was rolling along in the left turn only lane, following traffic along under the freeway overpass, about to turn onto the freeway on-ramp. I was lagging a bit behind traffic since I knew the light was going to turn red anyway and as I came out from under the bridge, the sudden change from shadow to light highlighted a gleam in the roadway ahead of me.
Like a magpie I am drawn to shiny things. My brain automatically categorized and analyzed the shiny thing... piece of chrome trim from a traffic accident? Part or a mirror? Or- could it be...
A quick glance in the mirrors showed nobody behind me, so I stopped and yanked on the e-brake and unclipped the seat belt. A quick dash into the roadway and-
YES! It WAS a wheel weight...
My grubby paws lifted the gleaming treasure from the tarmac and clutched it to my chest as I hightailed it back to the car in time to catch the green turn arrow, and I merged onto the interstate cackling like a madman.
As I got into traffic I risked another longer look at my treasure, and I comprehended it was even better than I had hoped-
It was a SIX OUNCE truck wheelweight, still gleaming and new and looking like it had just been installed and then lost today. :drinks:
I smiled to myself, and started composing the thread I would put on Castboolits forum bragging about my windfall...
Then suddenly something clicked in my brain, and I re-read the letters on the weight again, this time with comprehension-
"6.0 OZ ATW-17-ZN 176 GM"
ATW-17-ZN??? Are you kidding me? I tapped it on the gearshift stick. It gave a high pinging sound.
I grabbed my pliers from the center console and with suddenly shaking fingers, squeezed the once-precious item firmly- the pliers failed to scratch the weight.
Surely, the gods could not giveth and taketh away so completely...
What I had risked grabbing from the road was a six-ounce ZINC truck wheel weight.
It just wasn't fair. :violin:
It was about 6pm, and I was rolling along in the left turn only lane, following traffic along under the freeway overpass, about to turn onto the freeway on-ramp. I was lagging a bit behind traffic since I knew the light was going to turn red anyway and as I came out from under the bridge, the sudden change from shadow to light highlighted a gleam in the roadway ahead of me.
Like a magpie I am drawn to shiny things. My brain automatically categorized and analyzed the shiny thing... piece of chrome trim from a traffic accident? Part or a mirror? Or- could it be...
A quick glance in the mirrors showed nobody behind me, so I stopped and yanked on the e-brake and unclipped the seat belt. A quick dash into the roadway and-
YES! It WAS a wheel weight...
My grubby paws lifted the gleaming treasure from the tarmac and clutched it to my chest as I hightailed it back to the car in time to catch the green turn arrow, and I merged onto the interstate cackling like a madman.
As I got into traffic I risked another longer look at my treasure, and I comprehended it was even better than I had hoped-
It was a SIX OUNCE truck wheelweight, still gleaming and new and looking like it had just been installed and then lost today. :drinks:
I smiled to myself, and started composing the thread I would put on Castboolits forum bragging about my windfall...
Then suddenly something clicked in my brain, and I re-read the letters on the weight again, this time with comprehension-
"6.0 OZ ATW-17-ZN 176 GM"
ATW-17-ZN??? Are you kidding me? I tapped it on the gearshift stick. It gave a high pinging sound.
I grabbed my pliers from the center console and with suddenly shaking fingers, squeezed the once-precious item firmly- the pliers failed to scratch the weight.
Surely, the gods could not giveth and taketh away so completely...
What I had risked grabbing from the road was a six-ounce ZINC truck wheel weight.
It just wasn't fair. :violin: