Ihubbers bizarre expriences

[Phil(Hot Rod Chevy)]

I found this on another board and I think it qualifies as a bona fide first hand Ihubber bizarre experience.

The author, PW, has graciously allowed me to repost it here.

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Posted by: PMS Witch
In reply to: ksquared who wrote msg# 5103 Date:5/31/2006 8:09:22 AM
Post #5112 of 5125

It’s been an eventful couple of days around here. One happy, and one frightening.

A neighbour won the Lottery, a few million, and it seems that every tongue is wagging. Speculation abounds. They’re a retired couple who seem very nice. I hope they do something special for themselves.

I had a friend who won the Lottery a number of years ago. Instantly, a new career was launched: money management and investment. No time to prepare. High stakes. Mistakes were expensive. The challenge became finding advisors who could be trusted. There are so many outstretched hands, and advice comes from every direction.

I held my opinion to myself until I was asked. My only comment was to never forget that this money was a once in a lifetime event, and if lost, it would never be replaced. When pressed further, I said that capital erodes from taxes, spending, and depreciating assets. Control these three and your wealth will accumulate. Unfortunately, others were far more persuasive. After following advice that was less than sound, the winnings had evaporated in a few years.

The next morning, an experience reminded me that there are more important things than money.

I arrived at the range too early. The maintenance people were working and I couldn’t shoot for another half hour. I decided to pick up a few items at a nearby grocery store. They were running a special on watermelons.

I was extra careful putting my things in the trunk. I noticed a man approaching. He appeared to be in his seventies or eighties. He was upset. Really upset. As he came closer, he asked, in German, if I spoke German. I don’t.

He asked again. Since I didn’t learn German in the last two or three seconds, I repeated my original answer. By this time, his voice, body language, and gestures were profoundly disturbing. I still had no clue why. I pulled my cellular telephone out of my pocket.

When he saw my phone, his demeanour changed totally. He asked again, only quietly, if I could speak German. I still couldn’t.

Even though he’s fluent in German, there was no use calling The Commander because he wasn’t home. I called his sister. She wasn’t home either. Then another sister. And brothers. All I accomplished was to chat briefly with answering machines. By now I’m almost as desperate as my new German friend. I searched my speed-dial numbers.

I tried the number for my car dealer. I knew they had German speaking people there. It worked. I switched to speaker mode, explained my situation, and passed my phone to the man. I could overhear, but not understand, the conversation. Then some English.

The guy’s wife had what appears to be a stroke. The road construction and detours caused him to get lost on his way to the hospital. No wonder he was upset.

I said I’d drive to the hospital and that they should follow me. After this was translated, the fellow headed for his car. I knew that we could get her to treatment faster than an ambulance could arrive. I lived in this area for a few years and learned some shortcuts.

After leading them down an alley running behind a convenience store and through a church parking lot, I pulled up to the Emergency door and explained what was happening. Fortunately, they had no trouble finding someone who spoke German.

With all the excitement, I saw my chance to slip away unnoticed.

Cheers, PW.

P.S. When I arrived home, I told The Commander what happened. I mentioned that the man approached me because I was driving a German car, thinking that there was a possibility I was German. The Commander began pointing toward his feet. When I asked him why, he said “My shoes are made in China.” Then he grinned and said “You’d better put Ming’s number on our cell.”

http://www.investorshub.com/boards/read_msg.asp?message_id=11358981

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Have fun,
Phil