Brings back a memory. A gentleman I didn’t know from southern Indiana wanted to meet me halfway to consummate a deal involving 2 Modern Eagle 1s he was selling. I looked on a map and chose a location in Indianapolis at a Ramada Inn right off I-70 on the south side. Bad choice; I didn’t realize that the area had (politely stated) deteriorated, and I had major reservations as I pulled into the lot. There were people wandering around like a scene from the Walking Dead. I arrived first, and was literally counting the minutes until the seller arrived.
He finally showed after some uncomfortable minutes, and we proceeded to commence with our deal (which probably looked like a drug deal given the environment). As we were concluding, an individual shuffled up to us and started with his “I ran out of gas routine.” The guitar seller immediately got up in the gas dude’s face and screamed, “Turn around and walk away right now!!!” I was shocked at how brazen my new acquaintance was, but man were his words effective. The seller then explained to me that he had worked for years in undercover narcotics, and that was how you deal with such a situation. He then proceeded to point out to me various other individuals loitering in the area explaining to me what their “thing” was. I suspect he was dead-on. I was just happy to be leaving the lot, unshot, with 2 guitars.
Sorry to derail the thread. Nice “Howard!”