Never Panic and things may just work out…..
I could always just hit the front of my pocket when I was getting ready to leave the house in the morning to make sure I had my keys, or if I was leaving an event and I just tapped my keys in my pocket I was sure they were there and I could carry on, comfortable that all was well.
So when one of my employees came into the back of the house we were working on and told me , “Ah, hey John someone just stole your truck”, I casually laughed it off thinking he is just playing with me and I”m not going to show any sign of alarm, as I continue to communicate with my workers. But as I tapped my front pants pocket and did not feel my keys I quickly realized, yes I had left them in my truck, and yes this was the kind of neighborhood where this was possible. So what he was saying may be true. “You’re not kidding are you,” as I finally turned around and looked at him. My irrigation supervisor was not panicking but had that smirk on his face that read, “You’ll believe me next time when I’m telling you something, right.” And I was thinking, “Well, you must admit, you were not exactly shouting when you mentioned it:”
As we hurried towards the front of the house, I saw my white Dodge Dakota slowly turning left some 3 blocks down. And so for the first time in my life I was experiencing “Grand Theft Auto”.
But how did I get here, and why was I not freaking out about my truck being stolen.
It was sometime in the winter of the late 90’s.
We were by now a legitimate landscape and Maintenance company moving in the right direction. We had grown to the point that companies our size needed to become a little creative in order to keep their good employees working throughout the winter, So, Schroeder’s landscapes and aquatic nursery did things like buying houses to fix up and rent, or we got into residential and commercial chimney sweeping, snow removal and even firewood sales and delivery. As a guy who had great respect for his employees and realized that this company was not My company, it was our company and I owed so much to these young men and women who busted their asses every day for me. I could not consciously lay them off just around Christmas time. It wasn’t going to happen. Now later some of my people actually wanted to be put on unemployment at that time, as a vacation/break/6 week holiday, But from the very start of my entrepreneurial existence . I would find anything possible to keep the crew working. I respected them, that they would be willing to do other types of work that was not in their job description, ie Cleaning litho ovens for 9 weeks in St louis, or working ungodly hours during snow falls to keep our commercial customers happy. But for a number of years I began buying properties. I could pay cash to fix them up in the wintertime then rent them or eventually sell them. Flipping was better than renting for I found I was a good landlord, just sometimes too good. ( will explain another day,)
So this house we were working on, eventually became a parking lot for a wonderful church. It was a very large house that in its day was one of the best in the area.. 3 bathrooms, large bedrooms, and a lighting system that had gas pipes throughout the walls that you would light for a small flame to illuminate the area.. Very cool, yet due to the deterioration of the house in recent years these were no longer used. But our neighborhood was not far from a major highway, U.S. hwy 41 and knowing the kids around the block, it held a certain lay za fare mentality to boot. And thus, As my truck was now rolling out of sight I quickly thought , this was not something I had planned on for the day. But as I noticed how slow the truck was moving I felt there may be a chance this could end better than most. Immediately Butch became very excited and shouted “come on John we can catch them, I’ll drive, as he was opening his door to his revved up Charger, and I found myself hurrying into the passenger seat.
I really didn’t have time to process all the possibilities that this chase could create. And If I had a few minutes more to think thru this I may have just called the police, but for some reason like a scene in an adventure movie I got caught up in now seeing my young Starsky and Hutch partner, flying down the street with reckless abandon. I sensed that since he knew he was on the right side of the law, this gave him a free ticket to go as fast as he wanted, and because I was with him, if something went wrong he could blame it on me. “ Just be careful” I mentioned as we were gaining speed
And I began to wonder Just what we were going to do If and when we caught up with them. Looking over at my highly excited driver, I could see the expression on his face that read, “man, come on car make me the hero, let me impress my boss, maybe he will give me a raise” or simply, … I love going fast …. As we turned left where they had, we saw the car now going in the opposite direction one street over and we could tell they seemed to be going very slow. As they neared the stop sign getting ready to cross the street which was the same street that My house was on, I told him that when we catch up with them, let’s not get too close because I didn’t want to startle them and they take off and this becomes a high speed chase. But wait, our part was a high speed chase… although My driver was hoping for exactly what he would enjoy. But the very fact that we had found them so quickly and were closing in on them, gave me some confidence that this may end well. As they crossed the road still going around 10-15 miles per hour we were now only about 40 yards behind them. We crossed Walnut and headed in their direction, then suddenly I saw the brake lights go on, and as the truck almost came to a complete stop. Immediately both doors swung open. as two young teenage boys jumped out of the truck and ran off down the street and disappeared between two houses.. We had now caught up with the truck that was still moving at a very slow pace. I now thought that if I could just jump out of our vehicle I may be able to grab a hold of the truck’s back bumper and stop it or at least slow it down enough to get in and step on the brake. As I reached to grab the back of the tailgate it became immediately apparent the truck’s momentum was too strong and it was still in drive. Realizing I was not going to stop it I now looked up to see that it was beginning to veer right. And sure enough, there was a telephone pole the truck was heading for. At this time things began to feel like it was happening in slow motion. Was the truck going 5,7, 12 miles an Hour? I have no Idea. but I knew I had to try to get into the truck and step on the break before it kissed the pole
So I released the tailgate and began running as fast as I could while still looking at its trajectory towards the pole. By now the truck was only 10ft away and I now needed to open the door as it had closed shut after the hijacker had sprung out of the driver’s seat. Hurriedly I opened the door and jumped into the seat and slammed on the brake.. The truck stopped and as I looked up the front of my bumper did not hit the pole but had in fact missed the pole by about 6” but had gone by the pole about 3 ft. In other words, had it been 4” more to the right It would have hit the pole and there would have possibly been some damage to the bumper and this would have created a stressful ending to what was already a crazy chase.
As a number of neighbors looked on, my driver came up to me revving his engine. I climbed out and he asked if we should go after the young boys who had started this adventure.. Of which he was ready to do. Feeling very lucky, at how this all turned out. I smiled and said.” No Butch , I think we’re good.
Nothing was damaged. My truck is back in my possession and quite honestly those two boys are probably a mile away from here. Let’s call it a day. Plus, quite honestly I did not feel real comfortable going through the neighborhood looking for some young teenagers,
I didn’t call the police. Maybe I should have at least reported it, but again I felt like God was looking out for me and maybe as the teens told the story to their friends hopefully, just maybe they turned a new leaf and this joy ride of theirs was their last.
Did both they and I have an encounter that helped shape both of our lives. Will I be a bit more conscious and careful to remove my keys from my vehicles, Maybe.. Will I have a better understanding of those who live in these conditions, and better empathize with what it’s like to struggle to find some entertainment, on a boring day? Will they realize that their day could have also turned out much different if they had been caught by the police and or had an accident where someone could have been hurt,or worse? In seeing the boys from a distance I”m not really sure they were old enough to have a license and was this in fact the first time they had an opportunity to drive?…… but again looking back many years later , I have to thank my God for once again leaving me unscathed to hunt and play another day.
What is he trying to tell me? And more importantly will I listen. So at the age of 63, I can’t help but look at my life and agree that Yes he has often sent me in a direction, that if I follow his will my life, may be able to help the lives of others, and it is becoming clear to me where he wants me to go.
So each time I tap my pocket and feel my keys I remember the day they were not there, and I smile. So Lord, as long as you keep giving me directions I will do my best to follow. And I hope you can help those close to me understand your mission for me, and that it will not be an easy one. But let them trust in you, your work through me
Help convince those closest to me, that your vision and my journey will require undying faith from those who say they love me. That once again. I am not special…. but boy I am different. You made me that way But they all will ask.. Just how different?…..
John M Schroeder 1996