This is one of those stories I filed away in my brain for that one day where I would start a blog. At the time it happened, I wanted to joke about it on Facebook, but I didn't know if it was "okay" to post about yet, AND it is rather lengthy. It's a good one that we like to laugh about. So if you are bored and in the mood for a very random story...continue reading.
Last fall, we were all sitting down having supper. Ben's phone rang, and because we really value family dinner time, he answered it. I was close enough to hear the man on the other line say, "Hi Ben, this is so and so with the FBI division out of blah bah blah....and I have a few questions to ask...." CLICK. Ben hung up on the man and continued eating. Shocked, I looked at him and said, "WHY did you hang up?!" Ben just shrugged his shoulders and said, "It was a scam". I expressed my belief that the nice man (he had a nice voice, he was probably a great person, and he was making phone calls during dinner time so that means he was sad and working late) sounded very legit. This is the part of the story where Ben lectured me for a good five minutes on how when I am eighty, I will be robbed of all my money by scam artists over the phone who say they are refugees stranded in a hurricane and need me to wire them money. Which I will then no doubt proceed to do. I didn't even really have time to argue with him, because his phone rang again, this time, he ignored it. Then, his voicemail alert dinged. I was totally freaking out at this point and made him put the voicemail on speaker for us. It went something like this, "Hi Ben. I am guessing you hung up on me because I said I am with the FBI. I do need to ask you a few questions though, so if you could please call me back at (phone number)". Well. There. I thought I had been proven right. Nope, Ben still didn't believe it. Not until a few minutes later when he got an email notification on his phone thru his work email. FROM THE FBI GUY. So we all know the signs of when you can tell your signifigant other is anxious/nervous about something. I could tell Ben was nervous. Instead of encouraging him to just call the guy back because it was "probably nothing", I was all, " OH MY GOSH SOMEBODY HAS BEEN KiLLED!". However, he still maintained that he truly didn't believe it, and told me all about scams where all people need you to do is talk for just a few minutes and get you to say a few "key" words and they steal your identity or something. He told me his plan was to call the police department in the morning, tell them the name and number of the guy and see if it was legit. He's always taking his time and doing things very responsibly, (except for strapping that couch down properly that one time) and it drives me crazy. We went about our usual routines that evening. In our family, when we are happy, we joke. When we are sad we joke around. And when we are nervous, we joke around, a lot. I could tell Ben was nervous because he kept randomly shouting at the kids in a funny voice, "DAD'S GOING TO JAIL KIDS!!!!" Then the kids would giggle hysterically and Dassah kept asking, "What's the FBI?!". Ben is a discreet kind of guy, so when I wanted to call my mom and get her thoughts, he said"we don't need to say anything to anyone it's probably nothing." So I did a really good job of only telling my mom and five of my close girlfriends, and between our imaginations and Netflix, we had some great ideas of what the FBI possibly could want. Except for my friend Laura who was all, "Oh, one time in college the FBI questioned me too...I witnesssed a crime....." (everyone has that one thunder stealer in their life).
The next morning, Ben calls the police department. (Drumroll here....) the police confirm what I had been saying all along. It was indeed a legit FBI agent who needed to ask him questions. I am going to wrap up this story in a fast nutshell. Nobody was killed...my husband was wanted for a stolen BULLDOZER. Well. Not really "wanted" that's exaggerating. Some guy, whom we DO NOT know, or have any relation to (promise....maybe?!) was in trouble for stealing lots of money. Within this mess was a stolen bulldozer. While being questioned about where said bulldozer was, the man apparently said, "I gave it to the Dahlin's". WHAT?!!?!?!?!? This whole situation was taking place around the area where Ben and his dad own land and a cabin. They have a Facebook page devoted to what we call, "The Dahlin Lodge" and a sign at the end of the (very remote/hidden) property. So, we really have no idea where this man happened to see or get the name, but we were the lucky winners of his brain name draw that day. The FBI dudes had already searched our property and cabin area for the bulldozer. I am so happy to say, there was no bulldozer to be found and after talking to my bewildered and flustered husband for a few minutes, they cleared him of any knowing. I kind of wish I had a cooler end to this story, but I don't. However, I am now able to give advice on this topic. If the FBI calls you, don't hang up, don't panic. Just play it cool like Marty Byrde. They are ussually just looking for the usual things......clues.....drugs.....bodies....bulldozers..........Labels: Stories to Laugh at
