Ridiculous things my dad says: My dad's buried treasure

So, since I've started writing about my dad, a number of people have been messaging me and questioning the genuineness of my posts...I assure you, these are the real deal, and I could not be making them up, even if I tried. Well those who know me, will tell you that I, like my father, am a bit of joker who enjoys a good story. But see, I thought of that, and decided to provide a little visual proof for this post, entitled "My dad's buried treasure".

This story goes back a few years: after a particularly harsh Canadian winter, my father discovered some cracks in the foundation of the house and decided to call in a professional to assess the damage (keep in mind that this is a big move for him, as he is quite the do-it yourself-er). The contractor informed him that the work could be done, but that a giant access trench would have to be dug around the outside of the house to access the bedrock and seal the foundation cracks form the outside. Upon being handed a quote for over ten thousand dollars, the majority of which was for digging the trench, my dad simply replied to the contractor, "be here in a week with your sealing equipment. The trench will be ready and dug for you". The contractor naturally looked at my dad with curiosity and asked him to repeat that. My father calmly replied that he would dig the trench himself. Naturally, the contractor replied in mocking tone, "how?". My dad replied "with a shovel, naturally. Now be here in a week, before I change my mind and do all the work myself!" So the contractor left (probably thinking that same thing I was thinking at the time and you probably are too right now...this guy is out of his mind...safe assumption given the circumstances) and my dad got to work.

Well believe it or not, but armed simply with a wheel-barrow, shovel and a pick, my dad dug that trench (a true testament to his character) around the house in just under a week. remember how I mentioned I had proof for you? Well the picture below was taken on the fourth day of digging.

That trench is over 6ft deep, and over 20 ft long!

So this brings me to the title of this post, "My dad's buried treasure". On the fifth day of digging, our neighbor curiously walks over to the dig site and asks my dad what he is doing. My dad believing the nature of his work was fairly self-explanatory, decided to have a little fun with Roger (our neighbor).

Roger: Sooooooo...what are you doing?

Dad: well I don't really want to talk about it...

Roger: Why? (growing evermore curious)

Dad: Well...can you keep a secret?

Roger: Absolutely! (now he's really got him on the line)

Dad: Okay so here goes...but don't even tell your wife. Promise? Okay. So I was digging around in the old furnace room, and found an old rusty box full of paper hidden in a heating vent.

Roger: What did they say?

Dad: Well, the former owner of the house was an elderly eastern-European Jewish woman who was quite wealthy. The documents, which look like some sort map of this house, and a will. Well when she died, her estate was empty, and this map has strange markings on it, so I'm thinking she may have buried her money somewhere on the land. You know, we Europeans like to bury things...

Roger: Are you joking?

Dad: Does it look like I am joking? I just dug a six foot deep trench for the fun of it...come on...so listen, if you help me, I'll give you half when we find it (as he desperately tries not to break out laughing).

Roger: Really?

Dad: Oh yeah! Just go get a shovel and help me!

Roger: Okay, I'll be right back!

Sure enough, Roger rushed home to get a shovel to help my dad find his buried treasure.

A day later, as my dad was still digging his trench, Roger's wife came over to speak to my dad. She was clearly not amused that my father had been teasing her husband, and that the latter was had been looking for his shovel to help dig for the buried treasure. Apparently it took her arguing with him all night to convince him it was a fib.

In the end, everybody had a good laugh about it, and according to my dad, seeing my neighbor believe such a ridiculous story was more than enough buried treasure for him, and completely worthwhile.