I need Reddit’s help…I’m not really sure who to share this with or how to accomplish my goal. I am a 49 year old man that has a wonderful best friend turning 50 soon, we have been lifelong friends that have a deep history of memories. He is a big hearted person that I love more than a brother. As with many of us this year, he has had a difficult year, psychologically and financially and lost his dad last month to covid. I thought that for his 50th birthday I would make a book to remind him of all the fun things we have done together during our lives. I was hoping that via the internet/reddit I could find some kids to draw and color pictures of some of the memories I share with my best friend. For any parents looking for a small project to give their kids, I would love it if you could have them draw/color any of these moments. It doesn’t have to be fancy or high quality, just your interpretation of the memory. I will put them together in a book and share it with all of the participants. I really just need the help of the internet to help make this a magical gift….if you could share it with any friends that have kids that love to draw; that would be appreciated. If someone knows of a better place for me to post this, please share…I don’t know where it will spread organically the best…please let me know. I hope I can get participation, I just need
-We played Baseball together as kids
-I saw him break his arm in the outfield of a baseball game and he still remembers how in my shock my defense mechanism was to giggle at the shocking injury
-We jumped on the top of a train and rode it into Fort Worth, Texas once
-We went snow skiing in Taos in College with less than $100 for the weekend
-We went to TCU Horn Frog Football Games as kids and as adults
-We have seen each others baby’s be born 5 Total
-We have been in each others weddings
-We used to eat at Don Pedros Mexican restaurant, we put $1,000’s of dollars of meals and underage beer on his dads tab until we got caught months later
-He was in my wedding that had a White Horse and Carriage bring out my bride 24 years years ago
-We would go to a Country and Western Barn in Fort Worth and end up getting in fist fights with others (always their fault)
-We would drink beer “Milwaukee’s Best” on the nearby golf course and after a few beers we would run and jump into a 30 foot evergreen tree…just for the hell of it…we called it “Milwaukabush”
-We still go skiing every year in Beaver Creek Colorado together
-We went Fly Fishing in Colorado Rivers with beautiful Mountains as the scenery
-We stole and used 2 airplane tickets from my dad (an airline pilot) and flew to Washington DC while seniors in high school for spring break with about $300 between us for 3 nights hotel and food and subway…we made it home with $.95 cents left.
-We checked into our hotel in DC only to find a huge fat man sleeping in our bed
-We went to University of New Mexico to watch my son PD play baseball
-We stopped at Car Henge in Amarillo, TX and spray painted a few of the cars
-Funerals, His Mom’s and My Dads…. we supported each other when we had deaths of one of our parents
-Late night’s drinking wine with is older dad Doctor FRANK. We have stayed up until Dawn sharing stories with his 85 year old dad.
-Going Skinny Dipping in hot tubs with his older dad Frank.
-Multiple times we broke his dad out of Retirement home during covid and took him to a 3 hour dinner of wine, steaks and stories. Usually went to Pappadeaux or Pappas Steak House
-We Rode Scooters in Venice Beach/Santa Monica Pier
-Hanging in Hollywood, going to restaurants and bars and Paramount studios
-We went to World Series Games, 2011 Game 6, Texas Ranger Heartbreaker in St. Louis best and worst night ever
-We often Sit at a bar figuring out life
-In High School we Ran across Football Field with completely full stands w/ Flags and signs that say “Seniors 90”, and “That’s 5!”
-We Rode bulls at CowBell a Rodeo type facility in Mansfield, Texas a few times..
-Sitting in First Class on an airplane trip while in High School we had to tell them your name was Magnum
-We have gone to Mexico/Cancun/Isla Mujeres drove Golf Carts along the beach and drank Mexican beer in gorgeous waters
-We went to The principals office and defended each other and didn’t get in trouble, the principal “Jimmy” was so mad, he knew we did it but couldn’t prove it, threatened we wouldn’t graduate and wold have to go to summer school..but we supported each other and got out of trouble
-We go out on our boat w kids wake surfing behind the boat
-We played Blackjack in Vegas at The Hard Rock all night long once
-Downtown Denver riding scooters through downtown with the MTNs in the background
-Surviving COVID hanging in pool or grilling out with our families
-We rented a bus and took 100 people to Jimmy Buffet Concert
-I’d love a Picture of us growing old together with our kids and grandkids
Also I would love a few pictures of us playing “The Game”. We played a game in high school where we did a lot of crazy things (ate squirrel off someone’s grill, slept in a bed at a department store, crashed a wedding pretending we were in the family, took a swing at the plate of a beer league softball game, streaked an outdoor birthday party …and much more……we would reward each other Points for level of craziness of the stunt. The day of graduation the person with the most points won the $1,000 pot….I believe we tied
Please pick one or two of these memories and draw a picture or ask your kids to help, of your interpretation of it and email me a picture of it to [email protected] I will share the final edition of the book with you and will be forever grateful for your help in putting a smile on a dear friends face that desperately needs a smile during these times.

I need Reddit’s help…I’m not really sure who to share this with or how to accomplish my goal. I am a 49 year old man that has a wonderful best friend turning 50 soon, we have been lifelong friends that have a deep history of memories. He is a big hearted person that I love more than a brother. As with many of us this year, he has had a difficult year, psychologically and financially and lost his dad last month to covid. I thought that for his 50th birthday I would make a book to remind him of all the fun things we have done together during our lives. I was hoping that via the internet/reddit I could find some kids to draw and color pictures of some of the memories I share with my best friend. For any parents looking for a small project to give their kids, I would love it if you could have them draw/color any of these moments. It doesn’t have to be fancy or high quality, just your interpretation of the memory. I will put them together in a book and share it with all of the participants. I really just need the help of the internet to help make this a magical gift….if you could share it with any friends that have kids that love to draw; that would be appreciated. If someone knows of a better place for me to post this, please share…I don’t know where it will spread organically the best…please let me know. I hope I can get participation, I just need
-We played Baseball together as kids
-I saw him break his arm in the outfield of a baseball game and he still remembers how in my shock my defense mechanism was to giggle at the shocking injury
-We jumped on the top of a train and rode it into Fort Worth, Texas once
-We went snow skiing in Taos in College with less than $100 for the weekend
-We went to TCU Horn Frog Football Games as kids and as adults
-We have seen each others baby’s be born 5 Total
-We have been in each others weddings
-We used to eat at Don Pedros Mexican restaurant, we put $1,000’s of dollars of meals and underage beer on his dads tab until we got caught months later
-He was in my wedding that had a White Horse and Carriage bring out my bride 24 years years ago
-We would go to a Country and Western Barn in Fort Worth and end up getting in fist fights with others (always their fault)
-We would drink beer “Milwaukee’s Best” on the nearby golf course and after a few beers we would run and jump into a 30 foot evergreen tree…just for the hell of it…we called it “Milwaukabush”
-We still go skiing every year in Beaver Creek Colorado together
-We went Fly Fishing in Colorado Rivers with beautiful Mountains as the scenery
-We stole and used 2 airplane tickets from my dad (an airline pilot) and flew to Washington DC while seniors in high school for spring break with about $300 between us for 3 nights hotel and food and subway…we made it home with $.95 cents left.
-We checked into our hotel in DC only to find a huge fat man sleeping in our bed
-We went to University of New Mexico to watch my son PD play baseball
-We stopped at Car Henge in Amarillo, TX and spray painted a few of the cars
-We snuck into the Rooftop Bleachers at Wrigley Field and drank free beer until we were asked what Law Firm we represented and were kicked out
-Funerals, His Mom’s and My Dads…. we supported each other when we had deaths of one of our parents
-Late night’s drinking wine with is older dad Doctor FRANK. We have stayed up until Dawn sharing stories with his 85 year old dad.
-Going Skinny Dipping in hot tubs with his older dad Frank.
-Multiple times we broke his dad out of Retirement home during covid and took him to a 3 hour dinner of wine, steaks and stories. Usually went to Pappadeaux or Pappas Steak House
-We Rode Scooters in Venice Beach/Santa Monica Pier
-Hanging in Hollywood, going to restaurants and bars and Paramount studios
-We went to World Series Games, 2011 Game 6, Texas Ranger Heartbreaker in St. Louis best and worst night ever
-We often Sit at a bar figuring out life
-In High School we Ran across Football Field with completely full stands w/ Flags and signs that say “Seniors 90”, and “That’s 5!”
-We Rode bulls at CowBell a Rodeo type facility in Mansfield, Texas a few times..
-Sitting in First Class on an airplane trip while in High School we had to tell them your name was Magnum
-We have gone to Mexico/Cancun/Isla Mujeres drove Golf Carts along the beach and drank Mexican beer in gorgeous waters
-We went to The principals office and defended each other and didn’t get in trouble, the principal “Jimmy” was so mad, he knew we did it but couldn’t prove it, threatened we wouldn’t graduate and wold have to go to summer school..but we supported each other and got out of trouble
-We go out on our boat w kids wake surfing behind the boat
-We played Blackjack in Vegas at The Hard Rock all night long once
-Downtown Denver riding scooters through downtown with the MTNs in the background
-Surviving COVID hanging in pool or grilling out with our families
-We rented a bus and took 100 people to Jimmy Buffet Concert
-I’d love a Picture of us growing old together with our kids and grandkids
Also I would love a few pictures of us playing “The Game”. We played a game in high school where we did a lot of crazy things (ate squirrel off someone’s grill, slept in a bed at a department store, crashed a wedding pretending we were in the family, took a swing at the plate of a beer league softball game, streaked an outdoor birthday party …and much more……we would reward each other Points for level of craziness of the stunt. The day of graduation the person with the most points won the $1,000 pot….I believe we tied
Please pick one or two of these memories and draw a picture or ask your kids to help, of your interpretation of it and email me a picture of it to [email protected] I will share the final edition of the book with you and will be forever grateful for your help in putting a smile on a dear friends face that desperately needs a smile during these times. $5 for a good picture

I need Reddit’s help…I’m not really sure who to share this with or how to accomplish my goal. I am a 49 year old man that has a wonderful best friend turning 50 soon, we have been lifelong friends that have a deep history of memories. He is a big hearted person that I love more than a brother. As with many of us this year, he has had a difficult year, psychologically and financially and lost his dad last month to covid. I thought that for his 50th birthday I would make a book to remind him of all the fun things we have done together during our lives. I was hoping that via the internet/reddit I could find some kids to draw and color pictures of some of the memories I share with my best friend. For any parents looking for a small project to give their kids, I would love it if you could have them draw/color any of these moments. It doesn’t have to be fancy or high quality, just your interpretation of the memory. I will put them together in a book and share it with all of the participants. I really just need the help of the internet to help make this a magical gift….if you could share it with any friends that have kids that love to draw; that would be appreciated. If someone knows of a better place for me to post this, please share…I don’t know where it will spread organically the best…please let me know. I hope I can get participation, I just need
-We played Baseball together as kids -I saw him break his arm in the outfield of a baseball game and he still remembers how in my shock my defense mechanism was to giggle at the shocking injury -We jumped on the top of a train and rode it into Fort Worth, Texas once -We went snow skiing in Taos in College with less than $100 for the weekend -We went to TCU Horn Frog Football Games as kids and as adults -We have seen each others baby’s be born 5 Total -We have been in each others weddings -We used to eat at Don Pedros Mexican restaurant, we put $1,000’s of dollars of meals and underage beer on his dads tab until we got caught months later -He was in my wedding that had a White Horse and Carriage bring out my bride 24 years years ago -We would go to a Country and Western Barn in Fort Worth and end up getting in fist fights with others (always their fault) -We would drink beer “Milwaukee’s Best” on the nearby golf course and after a few beers we would run and jump into a 30 foot evergreen tree…just for the hell of it…we called it “Milwaukabush” -We still go skiing every year in Beaver Creek Colorado together -We went Fly Fishing in Colorado Rivers with beautiful Mountains as the scenery -We stole and used 2 airplane tickets from my dad (an airline pilot) and flew to Washington DC while seniors in high school for spring break with about $300 between us for 3 nights hotel and food and subway…we made it home with $.95 cents left. -We checked into our hotel in DC only to find a huge fat man sleeping in our bed -We went to University of New Mexico to watch my son PD play baseball -We stopped at Car Henge in Amarillo, TX and spray painted a few of the cars -Funerals, His Mom’s and My Dads…. we supported each other when we had deaths of one of our parents -Late night’s drinking wine with is older dad Doctor FRANK. We have stayed up until Dawn sharing stories with his 85 year old dad. -Going Skinny Dipping in hot tubs with his older dad Frank. -Multiple times we broke his dad out of Retirement home during covid and took him to a 3 hour dinner of wine, steaks and stories. Usually went to Pappadeaux or Pappas Steak House
-We Rode Scooters in Venice Beach/Santa Monica Pier -Hanging in Hollywood, going to restaurants and bars and Paramount studios
-We went to World Series Games, 2011 Game 6, Texas Ranger Heartbreaker in St. Louis best and worst night ever -We often Sit at a bar figuring out life -In High School we Ran across Football Field with completely full stands w/ Flags and signs that say “Seniors 90”, and “That’s 5!” -We Rode bulls at CowBell a Rodeo type facility in Mansfield, Texas a few times.. -Sitting in First Class on an airplane trip while in High School we had to tell them your name was Magnum -We have gone to Mexico/Cancun/Isla Mujeres drove Golf Carts along the beach and drank Mexican beer in gorgeous waters -We went to The principals office and defended each other and didn’t get in trouble, the principal “Jimmy” was so mad, he knew we did it but couldn’t prove it, threatened we wouldn’t graduate and wold have to go to summer school..but we supported each other and got out of trouble -We go out on our boat w kids wake surfing behind the boat -We played Blackjack in Vegas at The Hard Rock all night long once -Downtown Denver riding scooters through downtown with the MTNs in the background -Surviving COVID hanging in pool or grilling out with our families -We rented a bus and took 100 people to Jimmy Buffet Concert -I’d love a Picture of us growing old together with our kids and grandkids
Also I would love a few pictures of us playing “The Game”. We played a game in high school where we did a lot of crazy things (ate squirrel off someone’s grill, slept in a bed at a department store, crashed a wedding pretending we were in the family, took a swing at the plate of a beer league softball game, streaked an outdoor birthday party …and much more……we would reward each other Points for level of craziness of the stunt. The day of graduation the person with the most points won the $1,000 pot….I believe we tied
Please pick one or two of these memories and draw a picture or ask your kids to help, of your interpretation of it and email me a picture of it to [email protected] I will share the final edition of the book with you and will be forever grateful for your help in putting a smile on a dear friends face that desperately needs a smile during these times.

I need Reddit’s help…I’m not really sure who to share this with or how to accomplish my goal. I am a 49 year old man that has a wonderful best friend turning 50 soon, we have been lifelong friends that have a deep history of memories. He is a big hearted person that I love more than a brother. As with many of us this year, he has had a difficult year, psychologically and financially and lost his dad last month to covid. I thought that for his 50th birthday I would make a book to remind him of all the fun things we have done together during our lives. I was hoping that via the internet/reddit I could find some kids to draw and color pictures of some of the memories I share with my best friend. For any parents looking for a small project to give their kids, I would love it if you could have them draw/color any of these moments. It doesn’t have to be fancy or high quality, just your interpretation of the memory. I will put them together in a book and share it with all of the participants. I really just need the help of the internet to help make this a magical gift….if you could share it with any friends that have kids that love to draw; that would be appreciated. If someone knows of a better place for me to post this, please share…I don’t know where it will spread organically the best…please let me know. I hope I can get participation, I just need
-We played Baseball together as kids -I saw him break his arm in the outfield of a baseball game and he still remembers how in my shock my defense mechanism was to giggle at the shocking injury -We jumped on the top of a train and rode it into Fort Worth, Texas once -We went snow skiing in Taos in College with less than $100 for the weekend -We went to TCU Horn Frog Football Games as kids and as adults -We have seen each others baby’s be born 5 Total -We have been in each others weddings -We used to eat at Don Pedros Mexican restaurant, we put $1,000’s of dollars of meals and underage beer on his dads tab until we got caught months later -He was in my wedding that had a White Horse and Carriage bring out my bride 24 years years ago -We would go to a Country and Western Barn in Fort Worth and end up getting in fist fights with others (always their fault) -We would drink beer “Milwaukee’s Best” on the nearby golf course and after a few beers we would run and jump into a 30 foot evergreen tree…just for the hell of it…we called it “Milwaukabush” -We still go skiing every year in Beaver Creek Colorado together -We went Fly Fishing in Colorado Rivers with beautiful Mountains as the scenery -We stole and used 2 airplane tickets from my dad (an airline pilot) and flew to Washington DC while seniors in high school for spring break with about $300 between us for 3 nights hotel and food and subway…we made it home with $.95 cents left. -We checked into our hotel in DC only to find a huge fat man sleeping in our bed -We went to University of New Mexico to watch my son PD play baseball -We stopped at Car Henge in Amarillo, TX and spray painted a few of the cars -Funerals, His Mom’s and My Dads…. we supported each other when we had deaths of one of our parents -Late night’s drinking wine with is older dad Doctor FRANK. We have stayed up until Dawn sharing stories with his 85 year old dad. -Going Skinny Dipping in hot tubs with his older dad Frank. -Multiple times we broke his dad out of Retirement home during covid and took him to a 3 hour dinner of wine, steaks and stories. Usually went to Pappadeaux or Pappas Steak House
-We Rode Scooters in Venice Beach/Santa Monica Pier -Hanging in Hollywood, going to restaurants and bars and Paramount studios
-We went to World Series Games, 2011 Game 6, Texas Ranger Heartbreaker in St. Louis best and worst night ever -We often Sit at a bar figuring out life -In High School we Ran across Football Field with completely full stands w/ Flags and signs that say “Seniors 90”, and “That’s 5!” -We Rode bulls at CowBell a Rodeo type facility in Mansfield, Texas a few times.. -Sitting in First Class on an airplane trip while in High School we had to tell them your name was Magnum -We have gone to Mexico/Cancun/Isla Mujeres drove Golf Carts along the beach and drank Mexican beer in gorgeous waters -We went to The principals office and defended each other and didn’t get in trouble, the principal “Jimmy” was so mad, he knew we did it but couldn’t prove it, threatened we wouldn’t graduate and wold have to go to summer school..but we supported each other and got out of trouble -We go out on our boat w kids wake surfing behind the boat -We played Blackjack in Vegas at The Hard Rock all night long once -Downtown Denver riding scooters through downtown with the MTNs in the background -Surviving COVID hanging in pool or grilling out with our families -We rented a bus and took 100 people to Jimmy Buffet Concert -I’d love a Picture of us growing old together with our kids and grandkids
Also I would love a few pictures of us playing “The Game”. We played a game in high school where we did a lot of crazy things (ate squirrel off someone’s grill, slept in a bed at a department store, crashed a wedding pretending we were in the family, took a swing at the plate of a beer league softball game, streaked an outdoor birthday party …and much more……we would reward each other Points for level of craziness of the stunt. The day of graduation the person with the most points won the $1,000 pot….I believe we tied
Please pick one or two of these memories and draw a picture or ask your kids to help, of your interpretation of it and email me a picture of it to [email protected] I will share the final edition of the book with you and will be forever grateful for your help in putting a smile on a dear friends face that desperately needs a smile during these times.

Continuing
“Yes,” he replies, “Two will drive in in their own vehicles, but one will be flying, I think, it’s not yet been confirmed. If he does arrive on time, he’ll have to go in the field with you in your truck.”
“OK, now I’m a taxi service?” I snicker, “Price of poker’s going up.”
“Yes, right,” he grimaces, “As per your prospectus, you’re running the show out in the field. You have to being you’re the only one fully licensed. “
“This is news?” I asked.
“Well, “he continues, “All of your associates will possess some degree of blasting experience.”
“But none are licensed?” I ask.
“Not as such,” he replies. “Either way, you’re running the show out there. Make certain they all survive and return moderately intact.”
“Always my intention,” I say, “Can I see the list?”
“Certainly,” Harry says, sitting back and lighting up my cigar.
OK, let’s see…”
No doctors, yet. All last-year PhD candidates in either mining or engineering geology. Well, not my absolute first choices, but I guess it’s better than a sharp stick on the eye.
There’s:
• Albert W. Armstrong. “Al”. University of Missouri, Rolla. Mining geology.
• Charles F. Glaciisto. “Chuck”. New Mexico Tech., Socorro. Mining geology.
•Leonard. R. Paskapää. “Leonard”. Colorado School of Mines. Engineering geology.
“Well, there’s a nice assortment,” I say, “Guess I’ll see them when they get there.”
“Chuck and Al are driving out. Leonard is flying out, I think, and won’t be there for another two weeks.” Harry tells me.
“Fine by me. Hope they boned up and brought all the necessary gear. This is a real job, not a field trip.” I said.
“I agree Rock,” Harry intones, “They have the project prospectus, so there should be few surprises. Well, I’m off to some meetings in DC. I’ll have to catch you for dinner when you return. In the meantime, we have a reservation for you at the Hyatt next door. I’ve also arranged for your trailer and supplies tomorrow at 0600. I knew you’d want to be out on the road early.”
“Fair dinkum, Harry,” I say, “Sounds like a plan. I’ll be in touch. Have a good trip.”
“You too,” he says as we shake hands and depart.
The Hyatt was comfortable, but just another in a long line of chain hotels. Adequate clean room, decent food, ridiculous mini-bar prices. I was up at 0500, showered, and ready to head over to the armory for my Nevada supplies.
I show up at 0545. I was that ready to get back on the road. Surprisingly, all I had time for was an early morning Bear Claw and coffee before everyone showed up.
“Right this way, Rock,” Andy the Armorer told me. “Drive right back to bay 5. I’ll open it up and we’ll have you on your way.”
So, I wheeled back to Bay 5, spun the truck around, and backed right up to the door.
I tootled my horn and the corrugated door began to roll up.
Andy motioned for me to back in, slowly. Using hand signs, I backed in enough for them to close the door again.
I saw my old trailer over in the corner and was thinking it was nice to have a familiar bit of kit.
Then another trailer was rolled out. Fully twice the size of the old trailer, it was painted a ghastly government green, overlain with black and yellow cross stripes. It was plastered with DOD, DOT, DOI, and all the other necessary stickers. There was one large and very prominent sticker on the bumper that proclaimed; “EXPLOSIVES! DANGER! STAY BACK 500 FEET.”
“Oh, that’s nice and unobtrusive,” I said. “No one will give that a second thought.”
Fucking sheesh-buckets.
Half the trailer was taken up by a cast-iron tub, with hinged lid. It had an electric motor to raise and lower the lid, just the thing for going out in the boonies, I thought. It was made of very stout and thick welded steel and was quite lockable. It also looked bullet, lightning, and nuke-proof.
It also weighed a fucking ton.
The rest of the trailer had several lockable compartments, of varying sizes for the inclusions of all my different blasting equipment, all made of the same stern stuff.
The whole trailer had a resolute fiberglass lid, although the munitions tub still stuck out proclaiming its message of impending doom for all tailgaters to see.
“Is this all really necessary?” I asked Andy.
“Latest DOD, DOT, and DOI specs,” he told me.
“Marvelous,” I muttered.
“Well, let’s get on with the show,” I said. “You have my goodies list? I want to get out on the road.”
“Yes, sir!” he saluted, as he was still military. He barked some orders and suddenly, cart after cart after cart of the fun stuff arrived.
He delighted in showing me that this was a custom trailer. A special compartment in the tub was for binaries, a special section for dynamite, and one for all the other permissibles. The rest of the trailer was marked with cute little lockable cubbies for “Blasting caps,” “Galvanometer,” “Primacord,” “Demolitoin [sic] Wire,” etc.
It was all a very governmental job. Over-designed, over-engineered, and over-wrought.
I came to love it.
The lockbox in my truck was now empty, so I had the opportunity to load up with a few extras. I thought “You can’t go wrong with Primacord,” so 3 extra spools went in there. As did another couple boxes of initiators, pop-drop-forget fuses, a box of Fusees (road flares), delay caps, a couple of pairs of blaster’s pliers, as I kept losing mine, spools of demo wire, and extra batteries and an extra electronic detonator.
Best to be prepared, as I always say.
I was now weighed down with over to a ton of explosives, along with all the ancillary tackle.
Luckily my truck had that big, ol’ turbocharged V-8. We’re going into the mountains dragging the equivalent of a rental company Toy-Auto behind us.
I signed all the paperwork and waited until everyone present had their own notarized copy to lose. I was given two sets of keys, just in case. After I disbursed some thank you cigars, I eased out of the armory, dragging this trailer down that endless black ribbon of highway.
It was chained, wired, and padlocked to my truck. It would be a serious pain in the ass to take it off and park it for the night. Until I hit Reno, I either camp rough or stick to the plastic water glass circuit, that is, truck stops.
“No problem,” I thought. “I’ve done worse.”
Back on the road again, I’m cutting due west towards Arizona. Even with my truck’s big turbo V-8, with all the shit I was carrying and dragging behind, forget rapid acceleration or passing on anything even approximating a stiff grade.
I eased on down the road, out of New Mexico and into Arizona. I resolve to visit Cuba on the return trip.
A simple swing across Arizona and I’m in Nevada. Looks like smooth sailing ahead…
Things are going along swimmingly. I’m making great time on I-40 across Arizona.
Sure, it’s hot out, but there’s not much traffic and I can keep a pretty steady pace. So much so, I’m pointing the truck in a generally westward direction and I busy my long hours away futzing with the CB radio, eavesdropping on truckers on channel 19. Or, I futz with my shortwave trying to find Radio Moscow.
Yeah, even the CWG, car window geology, can pale after miles and miles of miles…
I’m tempted to swing through Winslow, Arizona just because I’m a fan of the Eagles. But the road is humming so nicely, I just decide to ‘Take it Easy’, and continue onwards.
Through Flagstaff, through Ash Fork, through Seligman. I’m blazing along only to have to take a bit a break outside of Kingman to avail myself of the roadside rest area facilities before I make the lane change and head for Vegas.
Or, more accurately, around Vegas. I want no part of dragging over a ton of high explosives down The Strip. Besides, the DOT would hang me by my thumbs, or more tender appendages, if I didn’t take an ‘ODOT’, or ‘Optional Direction Of Travel’.
Got to stay away from agglomerations of those people things.
That won’t be for a while as I head up Highway 93. Through Chloride and Willow Beach, up toward Henderson. I zip over the Colorado River and I’m in my destination state. In the far, far south of the state, and I’m headed to the extreme northwest of the state, but, hey, I’m in the damned state nonetheless.
Up towards Las Vegas, I really want to pull in, grab a suite, and go all Vegas-y. But, duty calls. I resolve to take Esme to Vegas when I get back to Houston and before we make any plans to head to some Middle Eastern sandpit.
I schuss up the 11 right towards Vegas and right on past via 215. I’m now on 160 headed towards one of my favorite cities: Pahrump, Nevada.
Governor Lepetomane: [pointing to a member of his cabinet] “I didn't get a "Pahrump" out of that guy!”
Hedley Lamarr: “Give the Governor a ‘Pahrump’!”
Politician: “Pahrump!!”
Governor Lepetomane: “You watch your ass.”
Pahrump, indeed.
Anyways, I continue along in Nevada as the sun slowly slinks down ahead of me. All the hours on the road, all this fresh air, all the cigars…
Shit, I need a drink and a nap.
I’m between Beatty and Bonne Claire, just outside the Mojave Desert when I suddenly felt the urge to pull over, climb in the back of my truck, have a stout drink, and flake out until it cools off some.
There’s really not much out in this part of the world, so I pull off the highway and go off-road some 150 meters or so; parking parallel, but somewhat distant to, the highway. That way, people would think I’m a local, or a camper, but not anyone in trouble. So they’d just flash by and leave me the fuck alone for a while. Plus, I didn’t need to look for a motel, pay for a motel, schlep baggage…oh, fuck, I need a road snooze…
I lock the cab of the truck, pop open the step cap, and climb inside. I couldn’t be arsed to find a proper glass for a cocktail, so I just liberated a frosty beer from the closest cooler.
I rearranged my tack in the back of the truck to make a most serviceable little nest, and pulled down, but didn’t lock, the back window. Just right for a few hours’ kip. I set my .454 next to me, got comfy on my sleeping bag, and was out before I could even start that initial beer.
I awoke suddenly, hearing rather than seeing something prowling around in the impenetrable darkness outside. Of indigenous animals, I possess no fear. But I’ve seen ‘The Hill Have Eyes,” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” and actually hail from the land that spawned Ed Gein, so I’m a bit, well, ‘alert’.
I spy the glint of something possibly metallic, so it’s official. There’s an ax-wielding serial killer wandering around outside lusting for my giblets. He probably has a hook for a hand and only appears on the roadside on the anniversary of his family’s decapitations in a bloody sweater knitted by his dead wife.
Either that or it’s a silver possum.
Whatever it was, it went up to the front of my truck and seemed to be testing the doors.
I still have on my field boots, loosened, so I tie them as securely as I can manage. I slowly ease open the rear window of the step cap and, silently as a moose, slip out of the truck.
I have my .454 loaded and in defense position. Any small, slow, and stupid beast that turned its back on me was looking for a stomping.
The world went dazzling white as someone, or something shone a very powerful flashlight in my face. Imagine going from the inside of a cavern to the bright side of the sun in the space of 11 milliseconds. Luckily, my firearms training prevented any potential disaster.
Although, it did hurt like hell having one’s iris’ snap shut like that.
“Whoa!” I heard a voice, “Who the fuck are you?”
“Whoa!” I said, “Who the fuck are you?”
“STAND DOWN! NOW!” I heard.
“OK,” I thought, “It’s a cop…”
“Cool out! I’m licensed for CCL. See? Gun going down!” I said, loudly.
“OK, gun on the ground and stand back!” He ordered.
“Absolutely, sir,” I said, “I hear and comply.”
“What the hell is that?” I heard someone ask.
“Umm, Officer?” I asked, “I’m Doctor Rocknocker of Texas. I’m going to Reno to the BLM and DOI. I am licensed for CCL and that, lying there getting dusty, is a custom .454 Casull Magnum.”
“Come forward so I can see your hands and be recognized.” He orders.
“Yes, sir,” I said and complied.
“OK, slowly. Your identification.” He barked as I slowly handed him my wallet.
“OK. Doctor Rocknocker. Right. Texas CCL. OK. Texas Driver’s License. Right. Blaster’s license. OK. Master Blaster’s certificate. Umm. ISEE membership. Yeah. What’s this?” he asks, shining his light on my wallet.
“My Russian Driver’s License,” I reply.
“Um, yeah. OK…” he says and hands back my wallet.
“May I retrieve my sidearm?” I ask.
“Certainly,” he replies.
I grab my Casull and dust it off as best I can before shoving it out of sight, back into its holster.
“What the hell are you doing out here in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night? He asks.
“Well, I’m a geologist…” I begin.
He holds up a hand and stops me right there.
“That explains it.” he snickers. “You fuckers are nuts.”
“Well, I cannot in good faith argue that point,” I concur.
Officer Westmoreland, as I soon found out, is a Nevada State Trooper. He saw my rig parked, dark, on the side of the road out here on the fringes of the Mojave. He was checking if anyone was around or might be in of need assistance.
I told him my long, sordid tale. I wandered over to my truck and pulled out a cigar. Officer Westmoreland refused my initial offer.
He didn’t resist when I pulled over my larger cooler, grabbed a glass, and poured myself several hands of bourbon over ice.
“Officer, I know you’re on duty, but could I interest you in a cold drink?” I asked. “I have several soft and hard drinks, whatever is your pleasure.”
“Well, Doctor,” he smiled, “I was on my way home and I was actually off duty when I saw your rig and stopped. Got a cold beer?”
“Certainly. Remember, I’m a geologist? Right. Lager? IPA? Stout? Porter? Can? Bottle? Domestic? Import?” I asked.
“Yep. You’re a geologist. Whatever’s handy,” he laughs.
I hand him a cold Spotted Coo from a small brewery way back in the Foam Town state.
I sit down on the tailgate and fire up a Coleman lantern to dispel the gloom. For the first time, I see Officer Westmoreland and he sees me.
“Please, have a seat.” I said, “I’m just trying to get my heart rate back down to normal.”
He does, at the far end of the tailgate. We’re still sniffing each other out.
He looks closely for the first time at my trailer.
“What’s all that about?” he asks.
“Oh, that?” I ask and take a deep draught of Kentucky’s Finest. “That’s just the transport system for over a ton of high explosives.”
He looks at me like I’m joking.
“Ah, it’s empty, right?” he asks.
“Nope. Totally loaded. Want to see the manifests?” I ask.
“You’re not fucking with me, are you, Doctor? Is that really is a ton of high explosives sitting there not 5 feet away…it’s not empty?” he shudders.
“Nope. It is quite full. See, I’m going to the DOI, pick up some trainees, and some toilet paper in Reno. Then we’ll all head out into the wild and blow the living shit out of some old, abandoned mines.” I reply.
“OH!” he says, relieved, “Wait! I’ve heard of that program. Hey! You’re that crazy guy from Texas, right?”
“I guess,” I replied offhandedly, “If that Texas guy is a geologist and fully licensed blaster.”
“Yeah! You’re him” he laughs, “Good to meet you, sir. It’s about time someone’s doing something about all these old fucking mines. I have to pull corpses out of them two or three times a year. Seal ‘em up, cement ‘em tight, leave bat bars, don’t matter none. Assholes rip it right down and tear it up, go in, fall down a fucking shaft and die. I have better things to do with my time than retrieve bodies, Doctor. I am glad you’re here.”
“I am glad to be here.” I reply, “We’re on a kind of pilot program. Another doctor, Dr. Eva and I, kind of pioneered the process of sealing mines completely or sealing them leaving bat access in the Four Corners area. One thing leads to another and here we are. Sharing a drink, and a smoke, not 1.5 meters away from a ton of high explosives.”
“Well,” Office Westmoreland says, “If you’re cool with it, so am I.” as he lights another Marlboro.
He decides on another quick beer, as he’s never has a Spotted Coo before. We sit and have a really nice chat. He was keen on looking at my .454. I showed him my 10 gauge Mossberg and he was impressed with that. Then I opened my vest to show him the twin 10mm Glocks I was toting.
“Preparing for action?” he asks.
“But failing to prepare, you prepare to fail,” I noted.
“I hear that!” he says and drains his beer.
He hands me the empty as I always carry garbage bags for just such an emergency.
“Pack out your trash” isn’t just a good idea, it’s the law.”
“Well, Doctor,” he says, “Time for me to go on home. Take it easy out here and get a few hours rest before you head out, you’ve had some of the wet stuff.”
“I plan to, Officer Westmoreland,” I assure him, “Thanks, and have a good rest of the night.”
“And watch out for serial killers” He chuckles, as he gets back into his squad car and heads off down the road.
“He was a nice chap. Very affable. Weird sense of humor, though.” I muse.
The next morning, I whip up a quick breakfast of roadside yaws and goiters. I clean up, pack everything back, and am back on the road.
I’ll be on 95 most of the way to Reno. Past Tonopah, Coaldale, and Hawthorne. Heading more or less due north.
The sun is already baking and I strip off my vest and put my Glocks in the lockbox. I am still wearing my Casull because reasons.
I motor past Schurz, and up to Silver Springs. I spend an hour there refueling and availing myself of the facilities.
I made sure to keep everyone happy and park out on the fringes of the truck stop after I gas up.
Now it’s 439 to Clark, Nevada, onto I-80. Headed more westy than northy now, aimed directly for Reno.
I check my DOI prepared itinerary and see I need to find Financial Boulevard in Reno. Very easy as the town’s laid out in a nice, neat grid-like sort of pattern, kind of.
I circle around the area looking for an entrance and spy the Genghis Khan Mongolian restaurant about a quarter-mile from the DOI office. I know where I’m having lunch.
I pull into the Bureau’s parking lot and head for the rear. I show my credentials at the gate as I don’t think I should leave this trailer out front.
I park and wander back into the DOI, weapons all secured in my truck.
Inside, I tell the secretary who I am and that I ‘m here on the Abandoned Mines initiative.
She says “Of course,” and picks up the phone.
Minutes later I am introduced to one Dr. Sam Muleshoe, the director of the DOI around these parts. He walks me back to his office.
“Well, Doctor,” he says, “Welcome to Reno. I trust you had a good trip.”
“Mostly uneventful,” I replied.
“Very good,” he says. “Your associates have not arrived as of yet. Should be here later tonight or early tomorrow. At least two of them will as Leonard won’t be here until the latter part of your project.”
“Fair enough,” I said. “Do we know of their vehicles”? I asked.
“What do you mean?” he says.
“Well, if there are three of us, I can only transport two. I hope one of the vehicles they’re bringing is a four-wheel drive.” I explain.
“I’m not certain.” he relates, “But I can check.”
“No worries,” I reply, “There’s nothing at this point we can do. Best to just wait and see.”
“Right,” he agrees. “Your truck. Is it parked out back?”
“Yes,” I reply.
“Good’, he says, “Let’s go.”
We go out to the back lot and just as I said, my truck and the trailer are sitting there.
“OK, Doctor,” he explains, “While we wait, we’ll get your communications sorted out. We have DOI HF (High Frequency) radios for all outgoing vehicles. We’re on a state-wide government frequency. Plus, we can add a bit of extra kit to your trailer if you like.”
“Such as?” I ask.
“We can add a motorcycle carrier.” he says, “That way, you can take a small dirt bike with you out in the field. If you desire.”
“Oh, fuckin’-A Bubba, hell yeah. I desire”. I think.
“Yes. Yes.,” I agree, “That might just come in handy.” I agree.
A member of the Bureau’s motor pool comes over and asks for my keys. He’ll handle all the modifications.
I hand over my keys, and we walk back to Sam’s office. We spend a few hours getting acquainted. Technical talk, very prosaic.
Since my associates don’t appear to be arriving that day, Dr. Muleshoe suggests I take a room at the Motel 666 just down the road. My truck will be safe and secure until tomorrow.
I agree and go back to my vehicle to gather a few odds and ends. The front seat looks like a Radio Shack exploded. The mechanics and electricians are having the very Devil’s Grandmother of a time hooking up the DOI radio. Seems I have already taken every fusible link available for my stereo, speakers, and other communications devices.
I stash the Mossberg in the back of the truck, under lock and key. I replace my Glocks under my vest and have my Casull on my hip. I grab my field case full of reprints and such, and a change of duds.
Back in the DOI offices, Dr. Muleshoe remarks that with my sidearms and Stetson, I look like a co-star in some Clint Eastwood flick.
This really blew my mind, the fact that me, an overfed, long-haired leaping gnome should be the star of a Hollywood movie.
But I didn’t Burdon myself with that thought for long. Didn’t want to start a War, now, did I?
A Bureau worker drives me over to the hotel. He drops me off with a directory of Reno BLM and DOI, with phone numbers. He also tells me that although this looks like an unassuming motel, they have delivery service from most of the better restaurants in town and that their Happy Hour should be starting soon.
I thank him and he tells me he’ll pick me up tomorrow at 0900 sharp.
I obtain a room easily as evidently nothing fazes these people out here. I wanted to take some time and fart around downtown Reno. But, I decided to let that go until the job is done.
Besides, I don’t feel like walking all over a new town the first night I’m in.
It was a very nice room, clean, utilitarian and with an in-room safe. I stash my sidearms and lock it up solid. I then get to the phone and make some calls.
I call Esme and let her know of my progress. Everything’s puttering along fine back home. Es is thrilled at the new blades I got for her rock saw and she tells me that the omphacite vase is almost ready. She also tells me that I need to bring back representative examples of Nevada’s oddball geology for her to work on. I assure her I will, profess my undying love, and hang up.
I call Rack and Run with an update. All very routine, the call lasts less than five minutes.
Then I call Harry in Albuquerque. Then I remember he’s in DC at a conference of some kind. I leave a quick message on his machine and hang up.
“Well, now,” I say to no one in particular, as I comb back my long silver hair. “Everything business-related is done and dusted. And I’m dusty.”
Down the hall, down the elevator, and off to Happy Hour.
Two for one drinks and they’ll even serve interlopers dressed in ghastly Hawaiian shirts and cargo shorts. I explain the proper construction methods of my signature cocktail and shortly, two large tumblers full of Rocknocker-cocktail appear as I’m perched upon Mahogany Ridge.
All for the princely sum of US$2.00.
I realize that I really like Reno.
It’s sort of a mini-Vegas, I find. I’ve never really been to Reno before and it really is “The Biggest Little City in the World”. Even in this little unassuming bar in this little unassuming motel, there are a couple of tables for roulette, craps, and blackjack.
And walls full of One-Armed Bandits.
Figuring I already paid my Stupid Tax by purchasing some scratch-off lottery tickets for Esme, and dropping $5 on the “Pick Five,” I could forego paying any more into the state’s coffers.
After several more cocktails, I was already 8 bucks in the hole for drinks and $40 bucks more feeding those infernally blinking, though ineffably inviting machines.
I tried the Blazing 7’s machine.
I lost.
I tried the Monopoly slots.
I lost.
I tried the Cash Express.
I came >< this close but still lost.
Disgustapated, I tried one final machine, The Jackpot.
I won $50 bucks.
“Holy shit!” I wowed, “Wow! I broke even!”
I quit immediately and went back to the bar.
I had another couple of drinks and after tipping out the bartender, I realized I had still lost.
I was down $12 dollars.
In other words, I did as well as usual.
Back in my room, I ordered some chow from the Genghis Khan Mongolian restaurant. At least here my luck was changing. It was excellent.
After checking out the next morning, I’m puffing on a cigar, waiting on my driver. He shows up spot on time and I go to snuff my cigar in an outside ashtray.
“That’s OK, Sir’, he tells me, “I don’t mind if you smoke. As long as you don’t mind me.”
“Fair enough,” I tell him, and we sally down the road to the DOI.
Of my three acolytes,
• Albert W. Armstrong. “Al”. University of Missouri, Rolla. Mining geology.
• Charles F. Glaciisto. “Chuck”. New Mexico Tech., Socorro. Mining geology.
• Leonard. R. Paskapää. “Leonard”. Colorado School of Mines. Engineering geology.
Albert and Charles arrived late last night, they drove in. Leonard, as Dr. Muleshoe noted, will arrive later, flying or driving in.
My truck is ready to go as is my trailer. I have my choice of several BLM/DOI motocross and dirt bikes, so I choose a cute little Maico 501, as the bike featured the largest two-stroke single-cylinder engine ever stuffed into a production bike. I figured I’d need all the torque I could get to haul my carcass around.
I receive extra fuel bowsers already pre-mixed with oil for the bike.
I’ve been a rider for years and even though most of my latest motorcycle driving concerns my Indian Super Chief, I’ve ridden dirt for years when I was younger.
I introduce myself to Albert and Charles. We shake hands and they tell me to refer to them as ‘Al’ and ‘Chuck’.
“And you will call me Rock,” I reply.
They were both cool with that.
I ask what vehicles brought them here. Al drove in via a beat-to-shit Volkswagen Van. Chuck drove his International Harvester Super Scout, also beat to death, or close to it.
“Gentlemen,” I say, assaying their field vehicles. “These will not do.”
They both immediately looked unconformable.
“It’s like this,” I relate to them, “I have my GMC 1-ton. It has room for two people, but not two passengers. I’m also towing a trailer, so I don’t want to be weighed down by all your field gear as well.”
They nodded in agreement.
“Let’s have a chat with Sr. Muleshoe,” I suggested, “He might be able to come up with a solution to our problems.”
So we did. The BLM lent us one of their field-kitted out Land Cruiser, a J-70. A boxy, utilitarian vehicle, with an eight-cylinder petrol engine with a five-speed standard transmission.
“Either you two know how to drive a standard shift?” I asked.
They both replied in the affirmative.
Harrumph. Try that today…
“Well, gents,” I said, “We’re burning daylight. We leave as soon as you two get loaded and figure out who’s doing all the stick and rudder work. You can drive together, or one can ride with me. Either way, we leave ASAP and we’ll do orientations and Q&A once we’re in the field. Chop-chop!”
The haul ass to their respective vehicles. They’ll park their rides in the DOI back parking lot for the duration. I go to get my truck and see if the trailer’s hooked back up.
It is and on the rear of the trailer, right above the warning signs for ill-advised tailgaters, is a well-used but still going to be fun as hell Maico 501 dirt bike.
This mission has suddenly taken on a more wholesome and lighthearted mien.
Al and Chuck decide to make the Land Cruise their vehicle and drive together, at least at the beginning. I have no objection and after dispensing the appropriate maps, itineraries, and other documentation, we do a radio check, as the BLM vehicle already had an HF radio.
With that sorted, we head out into the wilderness.
Once out on the streets of Reno, I ask for them to find us a grocery store so we can obtain field provisions for the next week or so. We’ll be out in the sticks, but there are enough little towns scattered about and with two vehicles, we won’t be as isolated as I first thought. I remember to stock up on Charmin Extra-Fluffy.
I mean, we’re not savages here.
We wheel into BinCo foods and invade the store for supplies. Al and Chuck ask what they should buy, as we all have BLM/DOI credit cards for the duration, and I tell them “whatever you want to make for chow”. I explain that I’ll eat just about anything, and am partial to meat, meat, and more meat. I leave them at that and head over to the liquor store down the street.
I have 5 huge coolers in the back of my truck. Two for drinks of all sorts, and three for food.
I obtain some of the necessary outback fluids and several bags of ice.
I ice down all the drinks and wheel back to the grocery store.
Al and Chuck are just emerging. I whistle them over to my truck as it’s going to be the Chuckwagon, no pun intended, on this tour.
We load their selections into the coolers and ice everything that needs icing down. I go into the store and purchase a few items I note they have missed, and place them in the bed of my truck.
I ask if they have everything necessary for a month out in the boonies, and they look to each other, shrug their shoulders, and reply that they think they do.
“OK,” I say, “Either of you armed?” I ask.
“No,” came the reply.
“You will be,” I reply, and ask if there truck’s gassed up.
At the Bumoco station, we fill our vehicles to the top. I check all fluid levels as my blinker light fluid’s been being used profligately lately.
“OK,” I say, “Last chance. Anything you even think you might have forgotten before we head into the wilds? Chapstick? Bug spray? Aloe?”
“No,” they reply, “We think we’re good.”
“All-righty, then,” I reply. “You have your maps, you have your compasses, and you have your vehicle. We will rendezvous at Pinnate Ridge in four hours. Bye.”
I jump into my truck, fire her up, grab a cigar, crank up some Floyd. I head out of the parking lot, generally south.
Both of them just stand there like guppy fish at feeding time.
They both realize I’m not fucking around and scramble back to their vehicle. The last I saw, they were still trying to get it into first gear.
I made it to Pinnate Ridge in 2.5 hours. It’s really very easy to find, even off the road. There are signs everywhere, even out in the sticks. Its prime desert dune and badland riding area, along with several mines on our agenda that are going to be closing down for good.
I arrive and scope out a likely looking camping spot. Nice flat ground, nicely elevated. A not-too-distant outcrop that will be fine for a latrine area. No running water, no trees, no firewood. I expected as much.
I pull to where my truck acts as a windbreak and set up camp.
Well, my camp at least.
Four hours later, I’m slurping a Grape Nehi sitting in my camping chair. I have a fire pit all set up but without fuel. I’m smoking a large cigar and looking through some of the older Mining News magazines. I haven’t seen another person the whole day since we all went off-grid.
Over a crest, I see the BLM Land Cruiser. Well, better late than never, I suppose.
They finally pull into camp, far too close to my truck, their back wheels in the soft sand.
“Gentlemen,” I say, arising from my chair, “Welcome to your first camp. As for your first test, well, more about that later. Let’s make camp, shall we?”
Wordlessly, they set about pitching tents, getting out sleeping bags and the like.
“Gentlemen,” “I ask, “How’s the weather?”
They look at me with blank expressions.
“You have radios in your vehicle, do you not? I suggest you call for an update for the next few days.” I recommend.
Later, “We did, Rock,” Chuck reports, “No rain, hot, with moderate northwesterly winds.”
“OK, good.” I continue, “What do you think of your campsite?”
They look and proclaim it fit.
“Hmmm,” I say, “Parked to the southeast, back wheels off solid rock and in the sand. What happens if a sandstorm kicks up tonight?”
They look, smack themselves collectively in the head, and reposition their vehicle, nose to tail with mine, forming a good windbreak for the entire camp.
“Gents,” I say, “’ Be prepared’. Get used to these words, you’ll be hearing them a lot from now on.”
“Boy,” I say, “I could sure go for a coffee. There’s the pot, here’s the water, and here’s the coffee. There’s the fire pit…”
“Where’s the wood?” Al asks.
“Oh, you didn’t bring any firewood?” I ask.
“No…,” they both say , sheepishly.
“Good thing I did,” I say, motioning to my truck. “Be prepared.”
Over coffee and cigars; well, a cigar for me, Al smokes a pipe, and Chuck is tweaking over Marlboro Reds, I go over the basics of our project:

1. Locate mines.
   
2. Map mines if maps need updating. Some are from the turn of the last century, so yeah, this will almost always be a task.
   
3. Take representative geological samples. This is my own twist on the job.
   
4. Photograph any mine chronological, or unusual, subjects.
   
5. Inspect mines for ‘biologicals’. They’ve already been vetted, but I want to be certain.
   
6. Find and delineate all surficial openings.
   
7. Prepare mine for demolition.
   
8. Wire in, prime, and set charges.
   
9. Run demo wire out of the mine and back to the safety muster area.
   
10. Demolish mine.
    
11. Drink vodka & beer, sleep, repeat.
    
12. There is no #12.
    

“Any questions?” I ask.
Chuck and Al were so busy taking notes, they didn’t have time to formulate any questions.
“OK, guys. Once you get all that, pencils down,” I say.
They finish writing and I see it’s already getting late in the day.
“OK,” I say, “Dinner if you’re hungry. Shall we eat?” I ask.
I decide on dry sausage and beer, as I’m not terribly peckish.
Chuck and Al get the fire going higher and grill up some hot dogs and beans.
Sitting around the campfire as dusk begins to descend, we sit around with our geological desserts. Beers for the guys and a double Rocknocker for me.
Now the drinking lamp’s been lit, we have a chance to chat and get to know each other.
“You guys are still doing dishes tonight,” I remind them.
“Yes, boss man.” They smile.
“OK,” I say, “There are a few things I need to get clear with you. One, I am the hookin’ bull around here. I say ‘jump’, you say ‘how high?’. I’m not too terribly tyrannical, but when playing around with high explosives, your very life might depend on it. Two, I’m the only one licensed to handle the explosives. You’re in training, but you will not go into the lockbox in the back of my truck nor the trailer until I deem you are ready. Violation of this rule is cause for immediate expulsion. And we’ll keep the vehicles. We green?”
To be continued.

1-5-19
It's been awhile since I posted because I’ve been grinding the game and vegas happened. Dashy filled expectations of being a young formal and its funny that ppl only see that now. Congratulations to Optic on winning Vegas the event was lit. My old sub is fucked up and I can't make it public now so I made the new one and copied the main posts over and locked them but their here now for history. My last post said I could write one last one until next rostermania about small stuff and some stuff I heard that I thought was fugaze. Its good I waited because it turns out lots of it was true and I heard straight from lots of ppl involved. Theirs not too much to talk about for rosters bc everything is set for the qualifier so the only topic left is rich guy and who he is. No its not Marc Cuban lol. I think hes one of the bigger stories in cod since he caused so much movement and was the reason I made my burner in the first place.
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So I worked on this post for awhile now in MS Word so its easier to read and made it into sections since everybody kept frying me over it lol. This is going to be my last post until next rostermania so thanks for reading and hope it’s been fun and thanks to ppl that dm’d me info and helped me figure this out.
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If you weren't around for Seattle Rostermania when the Optic roster of Scump, Crim, Formal, and Karma broke up, I heard from multiple people that the plan was for them to actually leave together and join some rich guy. These are the two posts I made about it and if your confused they can help.

1. https://www.reddit.com/CoDCompetitive/comments/8egdaintel_on_og_i_was_1010_on_rostermania/
2. https://www.reddit.com/CoDCompetitive/comments/8f6bhn/new_thread_for_intel/

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(1) When Rich Guy first came up

Before ww2 even started the optic guys weren’t happy with what they were being paid and felt like infinite didnt care about them. They would joke about leaving and talking to other teams but other players thought it was just banter. Then infinite kept part of their paycheck bc part of it said they didn’t have to pay it bc it was a good behavior bonus which lots of players have and the org decides if you behaved good or not and it happened around new orleans. That’s one of the things they were pissed off about along with infinite taking forever to redo their contracts bc they only made 8000 up from 3000 and it was about to end.
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Then crim made the reddit AMA in February where he publicly said they weren’t happy with optic... https://www.reddit.com/OpTicGaming/comments/7xk9sp/crimsix_surprise_ama/du8yest/
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Guys in optic started to think they made a huge mistake selling to the wrong group months before.
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Then rich guy probably heard about the AMA post. He got someone to get him in touch with the cod roster to see if they were for real about what was said in Crims AMA. Theres a rumor rich guy was one of the ppl that tried to buy optic when they were looking for investors but hecz sold to the rangers guy instead so he knew of the cod team.
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(2) CWL Atlanta WW2

So the optic guys talked on skype with rich guy a few times before cwl atlanta which was in march and they planned to meet at the event to talk in person. Supposedly right before they were going to meet infinite decided to drop the halo team and very nearly dropped the cod team the day before the event too. That’s something scump said himself to lots of different players. I heard it was only crim that met in person at first with rich guy on Wednesday before the event and funny theres a post by someone who saw it and posted way before I made my burner account. Basically he saw crim meeting with rich guy at a strip club.
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You can read the other guys post thread here...
https://www.reddit.com/CoDCompetitive/comments/8auxou/rostermania_news_and_predictions_thread/dx2ya73/

This is going to sound made up but I live in Atlanta and I saw crim having a meeting with a guy in a suit who I think is the ceo of another team. It was the wednesday before Atlanta open and they were both wearing suits. My friends and me sat at a table behind them and we heard them talking about money. they stayed about an hour and when they were leaving his friend in a suit went to the bathroom so i went to crim and shook his hand and said good luck this weekend. He was surprised and it seemed like they went there bc they didnt want anyone to see them meeting. When they left they got into a Roles Royce. I can post more after work if anyone wants to know more...
I didnt think anything of it either when we first saw them but as i watched them it was obvious the guy was from another team. Both him and crim were in suits and i swear I heard crim say he loves the offer or something. This was on wednesay or Thursday night near midnight.
Then on monday one of my friends that was there with me told me that he saw the same suit guy out sunday night with karma and scumpi and that they were talking loudly about teams or something. so my friend brad walked up to them and asked if he could get a picture with all 3 of them. The suit guy said no so my friend said he really wants one with all 3. Karma and the suit guy said no and that my friend could have a picture with just him and Scumpi without the suit guy or else no picture at all. My friend said ok so he just got a pic with Karma and Scumpi. After he got the picture our other friend Travis walked up to the suit guy and told him we saw him and Crim out in suits the other night. He laughed and shook my friend's hand and asked where did we see them. My friend told him we saw them at tattletales and that he said hi to Crim there. The suit guy laughed and smiled and told my friend to keep that secret. My friend asked him which team he was from or if he could even tell them who he was and he smiled and said dont worry about it everyone will find out in about a month then gave a wink. Then Scump got in a car with Silly and Study and left but the suit guy and Karma talked a little more then both of them got in the same uber and said they were going to hang out more at the hotel since it was closing time already.
From what I saw on wednesday night and what my friends saw on Sunday night we all say it was obvious something was happening because of how they were acting all secretive.

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One of Crims friends and other pros say he said the post was all true but he took him to an expensive steak dinner first and it lines up with what I know about rich guy. The guys second post says something about rich guy and scump getting into an argument and I can see it happening bc scump is a dick when hes wasted which always happens after events.
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Other ppl I talked to said they saw rich guy around the W hotel bar downtown where everyone was staying but didnt know who he was. He was talking to attach but attach was trolling and said he was his cousin when ppl asked him so thats where the intel came from that rich guy was someone attach knew. No one knows why attach was talking to him or why he knew him then either even now.
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(3) CWL Birmingham WW2

rich guy took scump and crim out to dinner and smoothed things over. After the team lost they went to the bars and gambled until morning. i heard this is where he upped his offer to them to 20k a month salary each for the next 4 games. Scump and rich guy smoothed out things at the event here bc before that they didnt like each other after atlanta. I heard from a friend of crim that he said scump was rude to rich guy the first time they met in person but I dont know if the argument in the guys second post is the first time they met in person.
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This is when formal wanted karma gone and tried to get him dropped since he was costing and gunless would easily be available since rise didnt win yet. Im told rich guy then told crim he only wanted all 4 of them and no one would come close to salary and crim and karma thought all they needed was a team change away from infinite then.
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I heard attach say rich guy knew cod would be 5v5 the next year and crim said they would want him as their 5th at the bar in bham. I cant confirm that though but it makes sense on why attach would of been talking to him at Atlanta.
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(4) CWL Seattle WW2

I heard rich guy took Crim, Attach, Felo, Dashy, and Study out to dinner at a steak house there then went to a few bars with crim and attach. In the players lounge the optic guys were all saying it was done deal and they were leaving optic. Then we all know what happened with t16 so optic knew they needed a change and thats when the talk of gunless came up with him taking karmas spot but crim and scump really wanted john and octane. John was cool with playing with them but only if it was to the rich guy since he thought hed get so much blame if they didnt win from the fans.
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I heard that night they settled on scump crim john and formal and they had a party to celebrate. Karma wasnt told at the time for sure he was getting dropped and wouldnt go to the rich guys team with the others so he still went to the party. We all heard what happened here with a tshirt being made but it wasnt finger paint but was from a stripper party rich guy threw for all the players in the hotel not even those he was going to sign. I heard it got freaky and one of the strippers had green hair. Karma was high and going off no sleep so he went down to the lobby and hecz saw him and told him to take the shirt off and told other non optic players to go back upstairs and stop being retards. There is more than one shirt that got made which is why karma says the one in the pic isnt his.
https://imgur.com/jVRSIFU
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Then scump crim and a bunch of other players went out to the bars with rich guy. I heard they partied Wednesday Thursday Saturday and Sunday nights based on what other players said especially Saturday and Sunday ppl saw them get back to the hotel real late with rich guy. Everyone thought it was a done deal when they left on Monday morning.
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Sometime after that I made my first post about optic leaving. scump and crim were insisting on john and octane but then john couldnt get out of his contract with LG because there wasnt an even trade with him unlike octane for formal. I heard thats what then scared rich guy off because if formal and karma stayed on optic together and he only got scump and crim then he wouldnt get a league spot since it would stay with optic bc of the rules. So in the end formal got traded for octane and scump and crim got new deals. Then optic tried to get Zooma but faze wouldnt sell him. So optic bought methodz contract because tk didnt pay for it and then tried to trade him for zooma bc the other faze guys like methodz. Faze said no and then told Zooma they will give him a raise to 20k a month. He said they had their locks on him and wouldnt let him go. So optic then tries to get Kenny but his contract said he had to give notice of using his buyout 20 days in advance and that meant it would be after roster lock so he was stuck too. So optic got stuck with methodz as the 4th. I heard from an optic content guy they asked karma to come back but he said no.
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(5) CWL Anaheim WW2

Im not fully sure if rich guy was here but I heard after this event is when he hired apoc to work for him once the season was fully over ( https://twitter.com/Apoccc ). Apocs been in the scene for a long time and knows everyone so it makes sense why hed do it. It also makes sense because after the season it turned out unilad got sold to someone else and got rid of esports.
I heard rich guy hung out with a few of the owners from other teams but I never got real confirmation.
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(6) Pro league stage 2 WW2

In July between weeks 7 and 8 for group B (optic eu unilad rise lg col MF TM) that nameless had a house party on some random night and rich guy went with the optic and eu guys. I think he took all of them to dinner. One of the players said he was the only one at the party that wasnt a caster or a player. I heard they went out to a small bar after.
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(7) Champs WW2

This is where it gets good. So Apoc was supposed to start working for rich guy officially when unilad was knocked out but the unilad owner let him do work for rich guy earlier since unilad was leaving esports anyway.
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Rich guys original plan was to build around john and attach and start talking to them after the event. Then they were going to go after slasher bc with those 3 on board they could get anyone they wanted to fill out the roster. Also behind the scenes I heard nade was already offering players to come to 100t before champs even started offering 10k. This is the start of the bidding war for lots of players that happened during rostermania.
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That fourth they went after was scump. After optic was eliminated in groups scump and methodz were the only ones who stayed while crim and octane flew home the next morning and skipped the autograph session at champs. So its just scump and zinni hanging out with nothing to do so I heard they partied alot with rich guy. From what I know scump and rich guy are actually friends and drink together so thats what happened Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. A player who heard some of their talks said that scump was still unhappy with optic and wanted to leave and start his own thing like nade did with 100t so he went to dinner on one of the nights with rich guy and heard he still wanted a team. Rich guy and apoc told him they wanted to try to try to get john attach and slasher. I heard scump was going around the venue the next few days telling ppl thats what he was going to do.
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Someone said John told them rich guy asked him if he would play with scump and he said yes. The thing is so many ppl say they hate each other but their good friends and hang out alot in cbus and other places. Fans always get things wrong or blow things up when its not a big deal. Ppl thought scump hated jkap but in cbus he started working out with him bc he had back pains and it helped. Or ppl thought formal was mad about karma piping lisserboo when it was opposite but no one its not a big deal. One thing true is the players completely hate larew’s +1 even mlg staff bc she’d get drunk at the venue and cussing security out for not letting her back stage just bc larew was on optic.
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Scump couldnt leave champs after losing in groups was bc his mom and friends and family were coming into town to watch him. They were seen talking to rich guy at the venue and I heard he took scumps whole group of 15 ppl out to steak dinners the next few nights.
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The story about scump being drunk on Sunday at the hotel bar talking to karma was true but he also talked to lots of players like apathy and asked him to team too but its normal for scump and all the players to be wasted on Sunday nights after events. Lots of them talk fugaze but ppl say scump was serious and also said it wouldnt be with optic but sometimes he blacks out so idk. He was carrying a printed contract with him from rich guy and I heard the offer was 50k a month for 3 years plus a small ownership part of the org. Supposedly scump agreed and wanted it down in writing so rich guy flew one of his lawyers in to write it up and give it to him. Lots of ppl are going to say 50k a month is crazy but for scump its definitely not just look how he got 30k subs on twitch plus all the other stuff he brings to the table for exposure like playing with guys like jack and shroud and ninja. Scump is the face of optic and cod so its good to see salaries going higher.
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(8) Rostermania BO4

Everybody leaves champs and rostermania started alot earlier then before. At the start optic didnt know if it was 4v4 or 5v5 yet so they were planning for 4v4 although they found out earlier than the other teams. They thought they had scump locked up but he went awol for about a week and I heard thats bc john and him were calling around to see who would want to play with them. I heard a rumor of slasher scump john Kenny as a 4 and with karma as the 5th.
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I heard this is when rich guy had players sign NDAs if they wanted to negotiate so thats why no one really said anything about the details or who he is because he can sue them if they go public. Someone close to one of the players confirmed it. I also heard from another person close to one of the players that rich guy scheduled face to face meetings where him apoc and their lawyers would fly to see the players and talk. One of apocs former players told me rich guy moved him to the USA from England full time to work for him and go around doing face to face meetings with everyone for 2 months. The players were also supposedly shown detailed presentations about marketing stuff salary investments and other things.
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Around then John and Scump decided they wanted Clay instead of slasher so he became the new target and they wanted to get it done quick before other teams made moves and so scump could get away from optic without it dragging out. Now idk exactly what happened but I heard scump started getting worried they couldnt get players out of their contracts with their current teams so he decided to go back to optic when crim and him decided to get Teej and dashy instead then add karma if it went to 5.
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So karma was still the most wanted FA out there still and everyone wanted him…eu, rise, LG, faze, etc, but for a time he agreed to go to 100t and Nade but then decided he didnt want to go there because he didnt believe in one of the players they signed. John and Karma also wanted to play together so nade thought karma could bring john with him but john said no and he would only go to rich guy or stay on LG. He would only go to rich guy because apoc is his close friend for 8 years. Karma liked it too bc he knew apoc for about a decade. Here’s Karma talking about Apoc in an old video...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYmOnBL13sA&feature=youtu.be&t=315
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So Karma and John got talking and also decided they would want to play with Clay so that became the new core for team rich guy. I heard they stopped going after attach because faze wouldnt sell him and they thought he would be too slow and be a bad fit. Even though rich guy supposedly really liked attach…remember how they were talking in atlanta before anyone knew anything…I heard he wanted to be hands off when it came to roster moves and let the staff decide that. Someone who talked to him told me he wanted to hire the experts and trust their advice and just be the guy paying the bills.
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Karma supposedly didnt know what he wanted to do so rich guy wanted to fly to see him with Apoc.
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This is unconfirmed but theres lots of evidence to support it that rich guy flew clay to frisco to help meet with karma in person. Clay tweeted out this pic of a steakhouse...
https://twitter.com/Claystestatus/1040436939416059910
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Google maps street view shows that restuarant is in Frisco...
https://www.google.com/maps/@33.0786056,-96.8266338,3a,75y,88.68h,63t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sesXQ0x2CWoJ3c49igD2ZRA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
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So Karma agreed on the core 3 and they decided to try to get Gunless since they heard they were leaving the scene after selling teej to optic and knowing they didnt have alot of money to invest into cod. Gunless didnt want to go to team rich guy because he wanted to play with formal on LG. Someone said rich guy was going to buy him anyway for 200k but then changed his mind when he found out gunless’s contract would end on December 31st so he’d only have him for one event then he could walk away for free to LG if he wanted. The word on the street is the core 3 convinced rich guy to still go after him bc if they placed top 4 at vegas they would be locked into a league spot and it would be risky for him to tank and be stuck in the qualifier where anything can happen.
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That weekend is also when holly had her birthday and rich guy wanted to help win over holly so karma would sign. The story is rich guy took hollys group out at a club with vip service that cost maybe 5000 then a strip club afterwards. She told them to not take pics of him and apoc and it was some big surprise. She supposedly spent alot of time talking to him on a couch in the corner. I posted more details about it here before...
https://www.reddit.com/codburnecomments/abxcvy/92918_some_stuff_about_rich_guy/
Here's a portion of it...

i know alot of u are wondering who rich guy is bc crim confirmed today he exists and partly confirmed what i posted about him going over to karmas house and seeing he was already there. i dont know exactly who it is but a few ppl DMd me a few likely suspects that i wont name without more proof. maybe u guys can help out here. When i posted about crim running into him i thought it was insane timing but now i think rich guy was there in frisco for a week.
i dont post stuff without hearing from ppl first and if it sounds crazy i wait even longer before doing it and with crim kinda confirming what i said in my other post i decided to. A few weeks ago someone DMd saying that their friend in frisco met rich guy but he didnt know who he was at the time. the story is holly had a birthday where she invited her twitch subs to show up. she said the plan was to go out to a nightclub to meet up with ppl and she didnt say who it was. when they got there some big guy met them outside and walked them past a huge line right into the club and they had vip and bottles of goose and champ all night on the mysterious dudes tab at a vip table while holly hung out with him for alot of the night talking on the couch. then they went to a strip club. my source said his friend swears this was rich guy.

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Here's a pic of Apoc at the party...
https://imgur.com/a/mMQh2rk
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Tweets of hollys videos from the party...

1. https://twitter.com/HollyyLive/status/1043722384035987458
2. https://twitter.com/HollyyLive/status/1043721923992141826
3. https://twitter.com/thekatebaby/status/1041561065992192000

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Ive later been told some of those ppl at hollys party were...

1. https://twitter.com/iElegantay
2. https://twitter.com/VyviesCoD
3. https://twitter.com/thekatebaby
4. https://twitter.com/OGBeattie
5. https://twitter.com/FeelsGoodClap
6. https://twitter.com/62yKreJ
7. https://twitter.com/AllysGotGame

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I think Clayster left the morning of but I think ppl at the barlow house saw him when he went to visit.
This was the weekend before the 5v5 announcement so they thought the roster if it stayed 4 would be john karma gunless clayster. If it went to five and faze still wouldnt sell attach, I heard they were looking at jurd, felo, bance, shockz, censor, or slacked. Someone told me rich would of wanted dashy bc hes a fan of his but he knew he was already signed to optic.
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Remember rich guy was paying for apoc to live in the usa the whole time so I heard he stayed there in frisco for 2 weeks. The announcement happens that week that its 5v5 and I heard rich guy and apoc watched it happen with the barlows in their house. Optic guys said karma didnt answer his phone all day so crim decided to go over there the next day to find out what was going on. All the teams were calling him trying to get him but I heard from someone close to holly that karma really wanted to go to rich guy by then. So I posted about this before but I had the details wrong…the old post is here:
https://www.reddit.com/codburnecomments/abxcp4/92418_karma/
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What really happens is crim goes to karmas house in the morning but karma wont see him bc hes playing pubg and wont get off the game bc he didnt want to talk to him. Supposedly crim sat there for 4 hours and decided to leave when he figured out karma wouldnt talk. He almost gets to his car when another car pulls up and its rich guy, apoc, and a lawyer in it…they get out and holly says hi to them then they walk inside the house. So the word starts spreading and optic thinks karma is gone for sure if rich guy is going to fly in like that so higher ups at optic start calling karma and he still doesnt answer but then holly tells them they all went out to dinner. I heard hecz was about to go over there and whoop rich guys ass. Somebody sent me a clip from hollys stream showing apoc was at least in the house. Holly also talks to someone who tries to stay off camera.
https://vimeo.com/309676910
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The next day I heard optic started talking to other players and their big target was apathy. I heard aches got really mad and called karma and told him to sign back with optic because NV wanted to buy EG and it got stuck when optic talked to apathy. But apathy is too loyal at times and decided to stick with EG/NV after a raise even though splyce was trying to buy that roster because all their contracts expired in November and add jurd to them. So optic called eu about arcitys and he wasnt available and gunless wanted to go to LG but nade and rich guy would start a bidding war for him.
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So I heard john and clay were happy and rich guy started doing more face to face meetings with the other players he wanted.
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Another week goes by and Karma had a 150K buyout, clay had 100K, and johns contract was ending so no buyout at all. Then optic announces the next vision episode will have the cod roster announcement and everyone that was supposed to be on team rich guy thought it was gunless. Im not sure on the timing of this now but I heard sometime around rich guy then offered 300k each for zooma and attach for a five of john, zooma, karma, attach, clay but faze still wouldnt sell them.
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So all the players involved with team rich guy were watching it and were surprised when karma was announced...it aired during the last week of September. The story is he got really nervous because john’s contract ended second week of October so that was the earliest rich guy could sign him and he was scared he would get left out of competing again and was really stressed about waiting 2 more weeks. Someone really close to the other players told me they were surprised because the night before they all group texted and said everything was good including karma. After that clay wanted to stay on eunited and that left rich guy with just John. I heard he called up faze and offered them 800k for their whole roster but they said no. Ghost and splyce originally tried to buy them too. So that would of left john and a bunch of leftovers. 100t bought slasher and signed enable to complete their squad and Rise left the scene and sold loony to splyce and gunless to LG. I heard thats when rich guy decided it wasnt worth signing john + am players so he backed out. All ended good for john though bc I heard he got a raise to 25k. I heard rich guy was pissed but hes still friends all the guys but doesnt talk to karma but is friends with holly.
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In the end this is how the team rich guy wanted changed….
First… Scump, John, Attach, Slasher
Then… Scump, John, Attach, Clayster
Then… John, Attach, Clayster, Karma
Then… John, Clayster, Karma, Gunless
Then… John, Clayster, Karma, Gunless, Jurd/Felo/Shockz/Slacked/Bance/Censor
Finally… John, Clayster, Karma, Attach, Zooma
Then after Clay and Karma weren't joining and he tried to buy the whole Faze roster... John/Attach/Zooma/Reep/Priest
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I also heard rich guy offered 250k about a week after champs to get John out of his contract 2 months early but LG wanted to keep him and thought they could convince him. I gotta say steve LGs owner has big iron balls bc he could of lost john for free instead of taking the 250k but it worked out for him in the end so huge win for him. I think if karma smoked some green and chilled for a few weeks until john was free then the most likely roster would have been the John/Karma/ClaysteGunless core with rich guy taking a gamble on Gunless and adding one of Felo/Slacked to them because Shockz wanted to finish school and splyce wasn’t going to sell jurd and ended up getting loony, temp, aqua, and lamar.
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So karmas decision to go back to optic changed the fates of eU, LG, Optic, NV, possibly faze, and mostly rich guy. A different decision could of changed this season too….last year john signed his contract with LG late and it was for exactly 1 year. If he signed it 2 weeks earlier it obviously ended 2 weeks earlier and rich guy could of signed him before the 5v5 announcement and that probably could of gotten karma to commit because he wouldnt of been nervous about optic and not having a spot anymore. From there rich guy pays for clays buyout then the rest is history.
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Im also gonna say optic with J in charge is in a much better place now and the players feel like their being taken care of unlike during ww2. I heard rumors orgs are still looking for money and some reached out to rich guy to see if he would invest in them instead of making his own but either way I hope he comes into the scene if its franchise next year since he has balls trying to come in and get the best guys like nade did and makes things interesting.
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All the pros in the scene benefitted from nade and rich guy being around since they all got raises and other bonuses so their happy but I can see orgs being mad lol but thats what happens when you have nade opening at 10k then splyce coming in at 12k then rich guy going in at 20k lol.
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(9) CWL Vegas BO4

So rich guy was at Vegas but idk if he went inside at the event. He was at the casino with players and a few people came up and talked to him. He was doing $500 and $1000 roulette and blackjack so he attracted attention. I heard he was mainly playing with Felo, Clay, and Revan but holly and nufo came up to bet on roulette with them too. One egirl told me they talked to him and he was nice and bought people some shots. All the players including optic guys hung out with him at the hard rock bar after the event and then took them out for a wild night at the nightclubs and strip clubs and apparently he did that every night with different people in the scene. A caster told me they approached him and said his name and acted like they already met before when they didnt and he was chill about it. People were calling him Edgar in person including Scump.
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(10) Rich Guy’s Twitter

From what I know and what ive heard im 99% certain rich guy is this guy on twitter and he uses it as his own burner for online stuff only:
https://twitter.com/EdgarAllanPwn3d
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He has an interesting group of followers including Nadeshot, all the old and new Optic roster, along with some of their girlfriends, the faze roster, Clayster, Felo, Saints, and other big people in the scene. It doesn’t look like hes really active but he has pics of exotic cars, first class flights, receipts from bars, and he has a 100k pc setup to play video games thats linked on his page.
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It looks like he gifted 5000 subs on twitch during Christmas time according to his tweets and people saying thank you to him. That’s $25k.
https://twitter.com/EdgarAllanPwn3d/status/1077413765325471746
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Someone sent me this clip from scumps stream where he gifted him 500 tier 3s which is $12.5k and like a grand donation over an hour. He says he knows him IRL and he wants to hang out with him next time hes back in dallas and get dinner. He even jokes about edgar and hecz being close. This clip is after karma resigned with optic and bo4 was already out and it shows how much scump and rich guy/edgar are friends even though the team didnt work out.
https://vimeo.com/309676948
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He has another 400 subs in Crims that I think are tier 3. Then he has another 500 in rallieds and I think 300 in nadeshots supposedly.
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Theres also these tweets between holly and edgar that make it sound like theyre friends including meeting up in Vegas and at a bar in Frisco in November. Edgar even tweeted a location pic of where he was.

1. https://twitter.com/HollyyLive/status/1058893944795348992
2. https://twitter.com/HollyyLive/status/1069642626725343232
3. https://twitter.com/HollyyLive/status/1069639538560180227

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Finally the Edgar twitter has tweets of him being in cities when cod events were happening.
This is a bar in Seattle….
https://twitter.com/EdgarAllanPwn3d/status/987587069512892417
http://www.cowgirlsinc.com/ ​
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This is in LA the day before Anaheim and he tags a bigwig at EA in it. I think he works on battlefield…
https://twitter.com/EdgarAllanPwn3d/status/1008070575099559936
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This is in Ohio during champs…
https://twitter.com/EdgarAllanPwn3d/status/1030353082390142976
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This is a tweet exchange between edgar, clayster, and felo about meeting up to play blackjack Wednesday before vegas started while they were already there...
https://twitter.com/EdgarAllanPwn3d/status/1070477119858204672
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This is a tweet of edgar spending $12k at a place that if you google comes back as crazy horse strip club in vegas. Hitch said on his stream something about meeting rich guy there and having a wild night.
https://twitter.com/EdgarAllanPwn3d/status/1074563461361950721
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If I had to bet my life on it I’d bet this edgar guy on twitter and twitch is rich guy and he was hiding in plain sight.
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(11) What I know about EdgaRich guy from sources

• He sold his technology company for $650 million he founded and now is a executive at the company that bought his so hes one of those silicone valley guys.
• Hes sort of young and likes to party and goes out to clubs so lots of players like to hang around him.
• Hes about 6’3 and looks like hes half thai or hispanic. Hes like half white.
• He lives in New York city and travels alot and people have DMd me saying he has lots of business in Atlanta, Houston, San Francisco, Singapore, and all over Europe.
• He owns a bunch of other businesses now like fast food restaurants and more tech companies.
• He has alot of investment in EA and other stocks
• People said hes real smart and a chill guy but some people were intimidated by him.
• A cod team was supposed to only be the start for his org since they wanted to expand to every game quickly.
• I have what I think is his full name but don’t want to post it and link their non burner twitter without confirmation in case it’s wrong. If one of the players involved wants to secretly DM with me to confirm then I might come back and post it.

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(12) Final Thoughts

• I think Rallied is the guy that got edgarich guy into contact with optic since he was seen with him at the strip club in Atlanta after the event and hanging out with him in Seattle. It might be Felo too.
• I think Methodz knows what Scump and EdgaRich guy talked about at champs since I heard he went to dinner with them and they had nothing else to do since they got fried in groups.
• Optic is damn good and Dashy will soon be the best player in the game no question.
• I think its baller he went to meet players in person to sign them like its the NFL.
• There’s other small things that eventually led to Optic needing to make a roster change because it got so toxic. One of them Scump said was that Formal didn’t share the MVP money from Champs when all of them agreed to do it before. What Nade said before about players wanting to be friends with teammates first also happened here when Formal didn’t want to chill outside the game like Scump does with Crim, John, or Saints.
• I heard edgarich guy was planning on getting into cod during BO4 but tried to get in early when he saw the original Optic roster was available because of Crim’s AMA.
• EdgaRich guy was really going to spend over a million on buyouts on top of salary which is fucking crazy.
• I think Apoc could be working for Red Reserve now since he’s been posting pictures with them in Vegas.

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Thanks for reading and I will monitor this thread for a few days to answer a few questions possibly and add something I might remember later. If not then this is my last post until the next rostermania or if Rich guy gives me an interview lol.