That wonderful Yiddish concept, sometimes easily described as the young kid who goes before a Judge for murdering both of his parents. He asks for mercy "because now I am an orphan."

Here's the back-story. I got cited by a Fire Marshal for having too many weeds and too much trash on one of my vacant lots in Seville, California. The weeds I can understand, they grow every year and have to be plowed down. Trash?? I cannot find my old discing contractor (who really is old by now, in his 80's) so I have to locate a new man to do the work. He goes out to Seville and thinks he's found my lots, but is not sure, and calls me back to say one lot is totally covered with trash. What the heck?

So I drive up there today (190 miles one way) to see for myself. And sure enough, the one lot IS covered with piles of wood, a burn barrel, an old rotting carpet, and other assorted junk. And sitting under a tree at the edge of my lot . . . are the people who dumped all that stuff, just enjoying the view, happy as pigs! So I roll up to them - not exactly knowing how this will play out - and tell them I own the lot and got a citation from the Fire Marshal and will have to clean everything off. "Oh, we got a notice from the Fire Department, too," the man cheerfully said. "Well, yes," I replied. "And - ummm - do you have any plans for cleaning up the mess?"

His wife replied, "Can we buy the lot from you?"

In 40 years as a landlord - that was a new twist. I hadda think fast. It beat my original idea, that being calling the Sheriff. And besides, he was far off in Visalia, probably attending a Memorial Day Bar-B-Q. And knowing Sheriffs as I do - probably would say, "It's not a criminal matter."

"Oh," the lady went on. "Those big pipes over there? They were dumped there by the County when they finished building their new water tank next to your lot. You'll have to get the County to move them off."

This was getting really interesting. So I quoted a price, in consideration of the lot's condition, and they said they'd be happy to buy it.

First time I heard of people dumping on a lot they really wanted to buy! Guess I'll see if they are serious about it.