I met the repo guy who came to pick up the first two trucks on that crisp autumn morning. I’m 6’ 2” 250 lbs and can hold my own. I called him SIR. He looked like an enforcer for the mob and as he approached me with a friendly smile and clipboard in hand my mother-in-law breezes by me with her mouth a flying. The gentleman’s grin soon disappeared and I could see this turning into a bad episode of Operation Repo.“Ma’am just calm down.” He told her. She went off on him about how he can’t step foot on the property and so on. I was not as friendly to her as he was. I told her to shut up, it is my property and I’m willing to help him load the shit up if need be. Hell, I’ll give him some of the father-in-laws crap that wasn’t getting repossessed. Me and tiny were on friendly terms again and except for the mother-in-laws tirade all went well. I now had half of my yard back and soon another truck and one of the trailers were gone. Things were really looking up. Well, for me at least.
After several months of staring at the last two trailers in my front yard I asked the obvious question. When the hell were they going to pick these things up? The mother-in-law said she would call. Soon after she tells me she talked to them and told them that they need to pick them up after they paid her and the father-in-law for storage at a rate of $100 a day X 6 months. I just shook my head and was going to wait for them to show up to get them. Another 6 months go by and now these things are starting to really screw up my yard. I called the company myself and talk to one of their lackeys. I explain that I’m trying to get these things out of my yard and that the Mother-in-law had called a while back for them to come get them. She told me that they have never had any contact with anyone about them and they were wondering where they were located. She then threatened me with legal action for hiding them. That pissed me off and I went on the defensive.
“Ma’am, are you saying you had no idea that they were located at this address.” I asked.“That’s right” she said. I then asked “How do you think I got your number?”“Well sir how would I know that?”“I got it from the letters you sent to this address a year ago informing my in-laws of the pending repossession of property stored at THIS ADDRESS.” The line went silent for a minute. Finally she responded with a polite “We will have them picked up next week sir.” I politely informed her that due to the fact that these two items that were abandoned on my property have caused damage I demand reimbursement for said damages. She told me someone would be in touch and hung up. I thought that went rather well.
“Ma’am, are you saying you had no idea that they were located at this address.” I asked.“That’s right” she said. I then asked “How do you think I got your number?”“Well sir how would I know that?”“I got it from the letters you sent to this address a year ago informing my in-laws of the pending repossession of property stored at THIS ADDRESS.” The line went silent for a minute. Finally she responded with a polite “We will have them picked up next week sir.” I politely informed her that due to the fact that these two items that were abandoned on my property have caused damage I demand reimbursement for said damages. She told me someone would be in touch and hung up. I thought that went rather well.
Two days later I got a call from a gentleman whom I can only guess has a Godfather somewhere in his chain of command. He asked if I was de guy whid de trilers to be picked up. I told him I was. He said he needed to verify the address and I told him I needed to verify the reimbursement charges. It started to get a little ugly after that. I was informed that I could get in serious trouble holding these items that were owned by the finance company ransom and was told that demanding money for an item that I had repossessed from me is a crime.“Whoa there Mr. Man, these were never my trailers and they were just dumped on my land.”“It was your clients who failed to retrieve them for a year and they are responsible.”“As a matter of fact, according to the Missouri Highway Patrol, they could be considered abandoned property and I can sell them as scrap aluminum.” This seemed to stump him momentarily. He soon responded with “Someone will be in contact.” This was fast becoming the theme of this little journey.
The friendliest repo man in the world call me next. I have never been unnerved so much by someone 1,000 miles away before but this guy was good. I’m not sure what they paid him but it wasn’t enough. To call him intimidating would be an understatement. After the fear of his wrath speech I began to tell my story. I soon had him feeling my pain. He made me a deal. If I keep them on my land till they sell them he would cut me a check for $1,000 each. Works for me. It took a few weeks and they were gone and I had $2,000 for new topsoil, some grading and a little gravel for my now empty driveway. This day couldn’t get any better……………..and it didn’t
