Armed Polite Society
Main Forums => The Roundtable => Topic started by: Cliffh on July 26, 2022, 11:32:24 PM
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Over the last couple of weeks the dogs and I have seen a couple opossums, one large and one small. The large one got to live 'cause we were outside a bit after dusk, it was playing possum & I didn't have anything lethal with me. The next one was actually during the daytime, it too was playing dead. I was close enough to the scrap metal pile to grab an old mower blade and send it to paradise. DW called out an exterminator, (Orcon), who said we did have a opossum infestation under the house. They seem to like the fact the underneath is insulated. Didn't get a quote from him, he flat out said we couldn't afford their services. (How the F*CK does he know what I can afford??).
So, I've been setting live & sticky traps around the place. Caught & killed the big one (hoping it's the only big one) in a live trap. The first sticky trap disappeared. Nailed the second one to the ground, caught a small one on it. I did notice a problem with sticky traps in 100+* heat - they aren't so sticky when they get hot.
Day before yesterday I noticed the toilet in the the master bath was moving. OK, it's hot & dry, maybe the floors dried out a bit. Got a half turn on one bolt. The other bolt, well... the nut just kept turning until the bolt came out. Damn. Maybe the bolt just turned while I was tightening the nut and it came out through the slotted hole.....
Next night I tried putting the bolt back into the flange & tightening it. It never got tight, came out again. Took the toilet off today. Wouldn't ya know it, the damn PVC flange is broken. And it's glued in. The plumber (who's coming out tomorrow morn) gave an estimate over the phone of +/- $200.
Been trying to trim the trees around the 5 acres. There are many trees around here - they're growing into each other along all 4 sides of the property and there are quite a few scattered around inside. This has to be done 'cause SWMBO has a shade on her riding mower & I've had to repair it twice, due to low hanging limbs. And we're having a heat wave. Tree trimming in 104* is so much fun. Having a bad neck, low back, shoulder & knee doesn't make it any more fun.
Wouldn't trade it for living in town for anything.
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I have to replace my toilet sooner or later. I am NOT looking forward to doing so, since I have no idea what may be under it. Probably going to, at worst, chisel stuff out and replace using copious amounts of JB Weld...
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A true friend is the coworker (IT Programmer) who will come out to your 60 year old house, pull the toilet, use a die grinder in the old cast iron pipe the toilet mates to so the new wax ring will seat properly, breathing in 60+ years of caked on feces and rust to help his coworker out.
Good luck finding that friend! God Bless you Dan Steggerda!!! :old:
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I have to replace my toilet sooner or later. I am NOT looking forward to doing so, since I have no idea what may be under it. Probably going to, at worst, chisel stuff out and replace using copious amounts of JB Weld...
Be a real man - build an outhouse.
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Be a real man - build an outhouse.
Been There; Used That, Froze/Sweated/Got Bug-Bit/Stung/Splinters. HELL NO! :old:
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WTF are you doing killing possums?
STOP!
Possums are incredibly beneficial. They hunt and kill mice, rats, and snakes. They are hell on ticks. They're naturally resistant to rabies.
And stop using sticky traps. Those things are just *expletive deleted*ing monumentally cruel. If you're going to kill something, kill it quickly.
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AS for your broken toilet flange, don't pay someone to replace it, get this.
https://www.amazon.com/Toilet-Flange-Repair-Kit-Flanges/dp/B078HGCYYJ/ref=asc_df_B078HGCYYJ?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=80264400674375&hvnetw=o&hvqmt=e&hvbmt=be&hvdev=c&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583863979620796&psc=1
Works like a charm.
Now that I've saved you $200, how about doing me a favor and stop killing your possum friends?
Live trap and relocate them. Or make pets out of them. Possums make great pets. Actually, they don't. They're wild animals. But stop killing them.
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Be a real man - build an outhouse.
I'm gonna be a real man the next time mine needs replacement. I'm gonna use my real man phone to call the plumber, then use my real man credit card to pay him. I have thoroughly embraced Grampster's "old retired guy" methodology: call and pay the younger guy, then kick back with a beer while he works. :laugh:
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I guess I should feel lucky. One of my toilets leaking around the base once. I was able to put in a new wax seal and that fixed it. Glad there were no other issues. I realized later than I should have just gotten a new toilet. Changed out the other one 4 or 5 years ago without too much issues. House is only 27 years old with a concrete slab. I guess it isn't in too bad.
I like learning to do things myself if it isn't too hard. A lot of home repairs are ready made to do it yourself if you don't have complications. I drew the line at changing out bath tub faucets a year or two ago. I have copper piping and the plumber cut it back and ran the new polymer piping a few inches to the faucet valves. I think I will let the professional do that.
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WTF are you doing killing possums?
STOP!
Possums are incredibly beneficial. They hunt and kill mice, rats, and snakes. They are hell on ticks. They're naturally resistant to rabies.
And stop using sticky traps. Those things are just *expletive deleted*ing monumentally cruel. If you're going to kill something, kill it quickly.
Beat me to it.
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Final word of advice.
Skip the wax ring and go with one of the new waxless rings. Those things are awesome.
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Final word of advice.
Skip the wax ring and go with one of the new waxless rings. Those things are awesome.
Something to keep in mind. I didn't know that was a thing.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fluidmaster-Better-Than-Wax-Universal-Wax-Free-Toilet-Seal-7530P24/205762183
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Something to keep in mind. I didn't know that was a thing.
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fluidmaster-Better-Than-Wax-Universal-Wax-Free-Toilet-Seal-7530P24/205762183
I've installed several of those, including one on a toilet at my house. Works GREAT.
The best thing is... if you miss sitting the bowl down straight on your first shot, with a wax ring you're screwed and you need a new ring.
With the waxless system, you just try again. You can remove/reposition the toilet as often as you need to.
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And here's another flange repair thingy (that's a specific industry term).
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Water-Closet-Repair-Flange-PSF-100/100372312
And here's yet another kind. I THINK this one is your best bet if you don't have enough access to get under the flange, which would be a problem with flanges that are either at or below floor level.
Simple fact is, though, that this should be a pretty simple repair for just about any homeowner as there are a WIDE variety of different flange repair parts available.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Oatey-7-in-L-Circle-Round-Stainless-Steel-Ring/50315043?cm_mmc=shp-_-c-_-prd-_-plb-_-bng-_-LIA_PLB_142_Pipe-Fittings-_-50315043-_-Local-_-0-_-0&ds_rl=1286981&msclkid=29ccd65f853715faaf32b4beb0891e40&gclid=29ccd65f853715faaf32b4beb0891e40&gclsrc=3p.ds
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I like learning to do things myself if it isn't too hard. A lot of home repairs are ready made to do it yourself if you don't have complications. I drew the line at changing out bath tub faucets a year or two ago. I have copper piping and the plumber cut it back and ran the new polymer piping a few inches to the faucet valves. I think I will let the professional do that.
I had rentals before I retired, so did a lot of plumbing stuff myself. I didn't mind it and liked having the skills. Nowadays my time is worth 100X more than my money. For even simple stuff, like replacing the "in-wall" water valves, I don't want to deal with it anymore, partially for what I think you're alluding to: I on more than one occasion had a corroded in or otherwise seized valve that at least tripled my work time from it either breaking or some other boondoggle during replacement.
I have enough other stuff to do around this place that I can't find someone to pay to do, that most anything I can pay someone else to do, I like to hire out. As my dad used to say, "I did my share of work, now I'll let the young guys make some money". =)
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"Nowadays my time is worth 100X more than my money."
You're retired. Your time ain't worth *expletive deleted*it. Jeesh, such delusions of self importance...
Ben Freaking Rockafella, here!
:rofl: :rofl: :rofl:
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You're retired. Your time ain't worth *expletive deleted*it. Jeesh, such delusions of self importance...
:laugh:
Just wait till you retire and have the time to realize that you already have way more time on Earth than you have time left on Earth. "Can't take it with you" starts to have a lot more meaning. :laugh:
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Hell, I've already started. I paid a husband and wife landscaping team (they were doing work for my neighbor) $200 to cut the hedges back in front of my house. They had really gotten out of control. They also reset the brick border and spread a bunch of mulch.
I was happy to pay to have it done as I've just not had the heart to tackle it.
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I had rentals before I retired, so did a lot of plumbing stuff myself. I didn't mind it and liked having the skills. Nowadays my time is worth 100X more than my money. For even simple stuff, like replacing the "in-wall" water valves, I don't want to deal with it anymore, partially for what I think you're alluding to: I on more than one occasion had a corroded in or otherwise seized valve that at least tripled my work time from it either breaking or some other boondoggle during replacement.
I have enough other stuff to do around this place that I can't find someone to pay to do, that most anything I can pay someone else to do, I like to hire out. As my dad used to say, "I did my share of work, now I'll let the young guys make some money". =)
For that job, I had already attempted to pull the guts out of the bathroom faucets to try to change that out. The threads were completely seized. I couldn't get them to budge. The plumber tried also. I think that was a big part of just cutting back the copper and sweating on PEX fittings to install the new hardware.
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I had a similar problem with the shower handles on my Mom's (and later my) shower. Decades of hard water had completely cemented them into place.
Solution?
Spray the backs of the handles with vinegar, and keep doing that over the course of about a week.
The vinegar eventually ate through the calcium and the handle puller took them off with ease.
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When I was working on my new house I was doing lots of work myself but I had a local plumber in handling some of the copper. I asked him about the "better than wax" seals and he hated them. He said he had more failures/call backs, more quickly with those than he has ever had with properly installed wax rings. He also told me that when he installs the wax rings he gets two of the extra thick rings and squishes them together, and that whenever he uses that method he never has issues with it again. I had already set one of the toilets, but I used that trick on the other one.
He did say that some plumbers really like the wax free seals, so your mileage may vary.
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I've replaced the seal on this same toilet about 12 years ago. The floor was rotted around it, took a couple days of work to remove, re-frame and install a new sub-floor. Used two wax rings that time. I bought one of the new wax-less (rubber) ring for use this time.
The plumber's grinding out the old flange as I type this. He's been grinding for at least 15 min and still going strong. He's also about 40 years younger than I am. He's going to replace the PVC flange with a steel one. Maybe we'll get another 12 years before it'll need work.
Looks like I'll make it to the doctor appointment on time.
As for the opossums, have you had opossums under your house & in the walls? They are NOT considerate neighbors. Noisy as hell, tear up insulation, eat wiring & plumbing, carry diseases and will (on occasion) bite pets & humans.
These who've moved in are not the only ones in the neighborhood. I doubt my killing this family will put them on the endangered species list.
As far as the sticky traps, they go out at night and are checked first thing in the morning, then removed for the day. Not a whole lot more "inconvenient" for the critter than the live traps. Because of the heat, I've had to discontinue their use anyway.
I haven't checked into the legality of relocating critters in this area. Relocating the entire family would be problematic at least. And it'd moving them into some other animals territory, an area they're not familiar with. Means fighting for space, and trying to find food & water.
While working around one of the live traps, next to the house, I noticed a young copperhead. He was able to make it under the house before I could get the necessary equipment. He entered using the same route the opossums have been using. Note that the snake was still alive, not eaten by the opossums. I've still got to deal with him.... Won't be the first copperhead I've killed around here.
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I think I used the extra large wax seal the last time with no issues. Using two seems excessive. I will keep it in mind.
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I've known plumbers who won't use anything but the waxless seals and plumbers who will slap you and call you out at dawn if you suggest using a waxless.
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"As for the opossums, have you had opossums under your house & in the walls? They are NOT considerate neighbors. Noisy as hell, tear up insulation, eat wiring & plumbing, carry diseases and will (on occasion) bite pets & humans."
Possums, no.
Raccoons, yes.
Squirrles, yes.
Raccoons and squirrels die because they are aholes. Raccoons especially. They'll bite just for the hell of it. And they're a HUGE vector for rabies.
Yes, any wild animal is going to rearrange its new living space.
Possums will generally only bite if they are REALLY provoked. Because, generally, they're not aholes. Like raccoons or squirrels. Or humans.
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There is at least one opossum that comes through my back yard occasionally. I usually leave it alone. It seems to be coming through foraging and doesn't mess with my house or stuff. I am more annoyed by the cats that come hang out.
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Yeah don't want opossums under your house but other than that I'll leave them alone in the wild.
And while Virginia Opossums - Didelphis virginiana, are welcome on the property the armored opossums - Didelphis heemeyeris (AKA armadillos) are not and will be terminated with extreme prejudice.
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Agreed. Armadillos just dig up your yard. Not as bad as wild hogs, but you still find holes in the yard.
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I've killed a couple armadillos since moving here. Little bastards are hard to find. I found a tunnel under the rear stairs, filled it in with some rocks, brick pieces and a couple bags of concrete.
I haven't bothered the opossums that have come wandering around, they didn't bother me & I didn't bother them. If these hadn't decided to move in, without permission, they'd still be running around.
The toilet's in and working. Passed the plumber at the end of my road as he was heading out. He did a couple minor upgrades, (larger bolts, better flange), with no extra charges. And he used the wax ring. Said he didn't care for the other type. Over the phone he'd quoted $200 +/- to only replace the flange, total came in at $215 with the toilet installed. I'm good with that.
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snip
Possums will generally only bite if they are REALLY provoked. Because, generally, they're not aholes. Like raccoons or squirrels. Or humans.
I'm sure you're not referring to any "humans" here....
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Well, I'm an ahole.
I was doing a heat pump/furnace install for a friend's son in a small lake community just northeast of me a few years back. Customer was at work but gave me a key. I went to the back bedroom closet to turn the power off to the 220v so I could install a disconnect. Out of a hole in the wall pops out a baby opossum. I yanked my pistol and said WTF? Go back in your hole and leave me alone. Turns out it was a pet.
Groundhogs and possum on the half shell get shot on sight here due to the damage they do to around the buildings. The opossum's get played with by the dogs until the dogs get bored.
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I'm sure you're not referring to any "humans" here....
Did I stutter?
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According to some, I've been an ahole for decades. Their opinion hasn't caused me to change my ways.
If I'm not going to allow a human to *expletive deleted*ck up my *expletive deleted*it, I'm sure as hell not going to let some 4 legged creature get away with it. Whatever it takes.
Poisonous snakes fall into that category too.
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Jesus wept, I'm not saying for you to turn your home over to the possums. Live trapping and having them relocated is an option. Search online as there are quite a few wildlife rescue groups that will do that at no charge to you.
As for the snake slithering into the same area as the possums, sure, that means that the possums aren't doing their job and are relying on Uber for their meals.
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https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/hunting/fur-bearing-animal-regulations/nuisance-fur-bearing-animals
Nuisance fur-bearing animals may be captured and relocated if the person has received authorization from the department and the owner of the property where the release will occur. A monthly report is required and must be submitted to the department on number and kind of fur-bearers captured, location of release site, name and address of person authorized to release.
Nope. I am NOT going through that *expletive deleted*it for a opossum.
https://hartzpestcontrol.com/animal-relocation/
For just $125, Hartz Pest Control will bring a live trap to your home and help relocate any pests on your property.
That one's in S. TX, and the listed price seems to be for one animal - not a family. They aren't driving up here. A quick search didn't bring up any closer than Dallas or Tyler, no prices listed, & I'm not going to call them.
Landowners or their agents may take nuisance fur-bearing animals in any number by any means at any time on that person's land without the need for a hunting or trapping license. However, fur-bearing animals or their pelts taken for these purposes may not be retained or possessed by anyone at any time except licensed trappers during the lawful open season and possession periods.
No limit, no season, no license. OK. (Bolding mine)
https://miwallcorp.com/cci-blazer-ammunition-22-long-rifle-40-grain-lead-round-nose-50-rounds-brass-case/ $0.68/rnd
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Well, then I suggest you pull back and nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.
(https://www.docwirenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/Atomic-Bomb-Explosion.jpg)
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https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdoor-annual/hunting/fur-bearing-animal-regulations/nuisance-fur-bearing-animals
Nope. I am NOT going through that *expletive deleted*it for a opossum.
https://hartzpestcontrol.com/animal-relocation/
That one's in S. TX, and the listed price seems to be for one animal - not a family. They aren't driving up here. A quick search didn't bring up any closer than Dallas or Tyler, no prices listed, & I'm not going to call them.
No limit, no season, no license. OK. (Bolding mine)
https://miwallcorp.com/cci-blazer-ammunition-22-long-rifle-40-grain-lead-round-nose-50-rounds-brass-case/ $0.68/rnd
Just get a list of people you don't like that live either far enough away or on the other side of a natural barrier like a river. Don't want the pests coming back.
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Just get a list of people you don't like that live either far enough away or on the other side of a natural barrier like a river. Don't want the pests coming back.
Think 1200 miles (+/-) is far enough?
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As of Tues evening, the total's up to 5 dead opossums. Dog & machete for one, dog & Taurus 4" .357 for the other. Overkill? Maybe. But that's two more that aren't living under the house.
I've been a bit concerned about my lack of practice with any handgun lately. This encounter showed that I'm not as far out of practice as I thought. About 9pm I was on the porch watching the dogs do their evening thing when one of them started hunting back & forth, as if she was tracking something. She dropped over the edge of the pond where I couldn't see her & started barking. Since this was the same area the other dog had started chasing a skunk, I hustled on over. It's 40 - 50 yards from the house, and due to my asthma & CPOD I was huffing pretty good by the time I got there. The opossum was about 5' lower on the hill and running away through the weeds. Stopped him first shot at about 25'. Missed the head shot but got him mid-body, about 3" back.
Those of you in the north (~1200 mi. from here) can hug 'em and stroke 'em however you like - no judgement here (well, maybe a little). Down here in rural TX I'm gonna decorate my fence line with their skulls.
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Oh, don't worry, even if you're not judging, I'm judging six ways from *expletive deleted*ing Sunday, with enough left over to carry well into the following week.
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I agree with the "moving in" comment. If the rodents just pass through and go back to wherever they live, that is fine. If families try to move into the yard, that is another matter. No squatters. =)
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I agree with the "moving in" comment. If the rodents just pass through and go back to wherever they live, that is fine. If families try to move into the yard, that is another matter. No squatters. =)
That's how I try to look at it. Other than it's open season on the dirty racoons after the Steve incident. They want war? They got war.
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There's at least one skunk, I don't know how many feral cats, an uncountable amount of squirrels & who knows what other nominal pests running around the area. Hell, I've even run off a couple coyotes - without using anything lethal.
They stay out of my house, away from me & mine, and we're good.
Oh, don't worry, even if you're not judging, I'm judging six ways from *expletive deleted*ing Sunday, with enough left over to carry well into the following week.
People have been judging me my entire life, and it will continue until (at least) the day I die. There have been less than a handful who's opinion actually mattered to me. You, Sir, are not one of them.
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To brag a bit, the shot was taken after cycling the first 3 cylinders without firing. I keep the first 3 cylinders loaded with snake shot, the other 3 with hollow points.
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Back when I was living in the apartment in Dogtown here in St. Louis, we had a possum move into the basement, and drop a litter. The landlord (about 24 apts in the building) liked to rent to college girls, and other "low impact" tenants, and some of them thought the possum babies were just SO cute...
Then the entire first floor in the back of the building (where she set up possum habitat) developed fleas...
And then I had the college girls knocking on my door, wondering if I could do anything about the critters. You see, I'd helped install better locks on the doors, etc., after an incident (Perd, Dick Ford's kid was a tenant, and painted the walls with one of the girls...), and they thought I could help. I told 'em that I could do that...
I didn't tell them that it involved a trenching tool and the dumpster.
So, got 'em down to pretty much just Mama Possum, and one of the gay guys from the back of the building is knocking on my fire escape door... They have Mama cornered, and she's in the ceiling over the laundry room.
I tell him that it's gonna be handled, and though for a moment... I went and got a Yugo Mauser that I had, along with a Mad Mike-sized bayonet. Walked downstairs, rounded the corner, and the dude saw that, his eyes rolled up, and he hit the floor in a dead faint. So, the rest of the crowd woke him up and took him upstairs, and told him that I was just going to prod her toward the door with my wall display.
With them gone, I ganked her and put her in the dumpster with a cardboard box on top.
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NOTE, that is read from Right to left, top down.
Right Jahe Sama?
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snip....
I tell him that it's gonna be handled, and though for a moment... I went and got a Yugo Mauser that I had, along with a Mad Mike-sized bayonet. Walked downstairs, rounded the corner, and the dude saw that, his eyes rolled up, and he hit the floor in a dead faint. So, the rest of the crowd woke him up and took him upstairs, and told him that I was just going to prod her toward the door with my wall display.
With them gone, I ganked her and put her in the dumpster with a cardboard box on top.
Well, you did "prod" her, just a bit harder than they thought.... :rofl:
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Re-reading my last, it looks as if I were laughing at the "prodding". That's not what I meant, instead I was laughing at the human element -especially the fainting part.