Just after lunch on Sunday, I took my son to the city via the route which passes by the cheapest gas station around. About a mile after leaving the highway, I passed what looked like a block of dynamite sticks on the side of the road. Yeah, right.
I backed the van up and pulled alongside. But yes, it really looked like 100 sticks of dynamite all taped into a block. I took photos both with my camera and cell phone although I stayed in the van. The dynamite was stained, making it look old and was probably unstable. We were still 10 miles from the city. It probably wasn’t dynamite but to be safe, I drove about a hundred feet up the road then pulled over to phone the local Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The Mountie I spoke to said he’d send someone out to see. I said I’d wait there.
Now you have to understand, it was 2:30 on a Sunday afternoon. My son, JJ, was going on a school camping trip and needed some items. I needed to pick up hubby’s prescription. The pharmacy closes at 6pm on Sunday night. I could only see 2 houses from where we were parked and I really didn’t think it actually was real dynamite that we found. And yet, I was worried some kids would happen upon it and blow themselves to smithereens.
So we waited.
And waited.
I didn’t know how busy the Mounties were, but I explained to JJ they would come when they could. Cars zoomed past. Birds sang. And mosquitoes hovered. Still we waited. After awhile I started to feel silly because after all, who tapes 100 sticks of dynamite together and leaves it on the side of the road? Really.
Well, around 4 pm, the Mountie showed up. I signaled where the dynamite was. By the time he pulled in behind me, he was on the radio calling it in. He couldn’t confirm it was dynamite, but he told the dispatcher to send out ‘a team’ to dispose of it. The Mountie proceeded to take down my personal information then said they’d be in touch in a couple days to let me know what happened.
I looked in my side-view mirror as I drove away… the Mountie was roughly 50 ft from the dynamite, on the far side of the road, standing on his tippy toes to get a good look.
Have you ever passed something weird or suspicious on the side of the road? Did you stop to check it out?
