BLOW OUT!

I’m a somewhat lucky guy. You might say, lucky, though not richer.

Originals I Re-Scanned

My boat is fairly open to the weather. Despite that, I’m required by law to carry certain legal documents with me on the boat. All boaters need to keep their boat registration and have their fishing licenses available if they are angling. I need to keep my captain’s license, proof of enrollment in a random drug testing program and the various licenses required by Illinois and Indiana to be in business as a charter boat.

Because of the lack of secure and dry storage, I tuck all the necessary papers into a Rubbermaid container designed to carry a large, rectangular cake to a bake sale or party. The container fits into a storage compartment and even if it gets damp or a bit wind-blown, the snap-on lid keeps everything secure.

It’s been a good plan since I bought the boat in 2000. When the government sent me the documents and registrations, I stuck them in the plastic box. When someone bought a fishing license, I stuck the money in the box. Though I always worried about leaving the box out or open on windy days, everything I ever put in the box had to be removed manually.

Over the winter my computer’s printer crapped out on me and I bought another that happened to be a printer/scanner combo. Didn’t really need the scanner, but it was the cheapest model available.

So when the paperwork started piling up for licenses, registrations, inspections and all the rest in late winter, I started scanning the documents and putting the originals in a file, kept in my office. After 11 years, no accidents, I decided to play it safe.

Lucky me!  On Saturday morning I climbed aboard, removed a couple books of blank fishing licenses so I could make sure the attendees at the Sunday, writer’s outing were covered. Evidently, in my haste, I didn’t return the plastic box to the storage compartment.

After trailering the boat 55 miles to the marina, I climbed in to find a few papers wedged here and there on the deck, but most of the contents of the box were scattered along I-65 somewhere. Luckily, the books of unsold licenses (which are paid-in-advance) were rubber banded together and didn’t blow out. Unluckily, over $50 of “folding” money in the box is gone forever. Most fortunate, is that I was able to locate the original registrations and licenses, re-scan and restock the box.

Lesson learned?  Only time will tell for sure....