The life of a repo man is always intense

Another story dug from the crates, this one is from 1990, and was published in the West Hernando News and Independent Press. Basically a single source story, backed up with some simple research, it was a pretty quick study. Still, I had a fun conversation with Mr. Taylor at a diner in Central Florida, where he poured out too many stories for me to recount. When he left, I challenged myself to see what his car looked like, but he disappeared into the parking lot. He was that good.

Joe Taylor's wrecker truck idled at an intersection in a small town in Marion County.

He spotted the car on the right of way down the street, and he knew from experience he needed backup. He radioed another agent, who arrived shortly thereafter.

The other agent pulled in to block the front of the car they were about to repossess, and Taylor pulled the wrecker in behind. He was hooking the car when the delinquent owner appeared at the front door of his mobile home, about 30 feet away.

"Hey, leave my car alone," he yelled. He cursed. He pulled out a long-barreled .38 and fired six rounds, sending Taylor and the other agent for cover behind the vehicles. Four bullets hit the wrecker, two whizzed by.

"I'm gonna get this damn car," Taylor thought as he lay on the ground. "I'm gonna get this car." He couldn't fire back -- state law prohibits him from carrying a gun.