Free Wood

In the early 70’s I was approached by a friend who had secret directions for me to get to a secret location where there was a never ending supply of free fire wood. OK, if it’s too good to be true, it is probably not true but I was young anyway and it sort of was true.


There was a building site, a large subdivision being built in NW Baltimore County, and trees galore were being taken down, the wood cut and left on the ground, probably for the taking, or at least for the taking if no one else was around.

I decided to go on a Sunday in the fall, after a few rainy days when the sun came out. I had a full sized Dodge van with a large empty back. I drove on to the property, opened the back doors and began to fill the truck with fire place sized logs.

After a long, sweaty haul, the truck was full! I got into the van, now weighing hundreds of pounds more than it did when I arrived, and tried to drive out. The wheels sank deeper and deeper into the mud! It had been raining for some time, the leaves covered the ground and made the mud hard to see, but there it was. My wheels were half way into the ground and I wasn’t moving!

These were in the days before cell phones so I hiked to the nearest residence and called AAA. They were delighted to dispatch a tow truck because it was a beautiful day and no one except me, was stuck anywhere.

The tow truck arrived, hooked me up and tried to drive away. I watch as his wheels sank deeper and deeper into the mud. He was stuck!

These were in the days before cell phones so he had a walkie talkie radio of some sort and he called AAA. They were delighted to dispatch another tow truck because it was a beautiful day and no one except me and the tow truck were stuck anywhere.

The next tow truck arrived, stayed on the paved road, hooked a winch to the other tow truck who was hooked to me and he pulled us both out of the mud!

I got home and dumped my new, free load of wood!