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Seizures & Arrests
- Run No. 577 on 19th May, 2002 - The Hashus Interruptus Run
The Sunday run coincided with the national election day. Hares Pencil Dick, Drip Dry, Another Finger, Rubber Pussy and Sleepless In Saigon spent Saturday afternoon laying the trail in Long Thanh District. No sooner had they finished when a large contingent of official types along with uniformed backup arrived on the scene and informed the Hares that running in the area was forbidden on Election Day, apparently fearing that the presence of fifty-odd hashers would stir up the local populace, causing social unrest, polical instability, armed uprising and finally the overthrow of the lawful government of this great country. Pencil Dick, showing the intellectual acuity that he is justly famed for, suggested reverting to Plan B. Since it was too late to change the run, the hares snuck into the area the next day to re-lay the the offending parts of the trail to avoid inhabited areas. Worked like a dream - until the pack got to the waterstop. The previous day's officials were there in force and demanded to know who was in charge. Two score fingers pointed at GM The Tickler, who was promptly marched off to help the police with their inquiries. The rest of the pack were ordered to board the bus and depart the area. An impromptu Hash Circle was held several kilometres up the Vung Tau Road. The Tickler eventually arrived, having signed the obligatory confession*, most put out about the support he got from the pack.
(*In fact, the locals had already arrested him a couple of times before. Knowing the routine, he said "Just give me the confession. I'll sign it, you can let me go and I can go get a beer".) - New Year's Eve Hash 2000:
While laying paper along a cattle trail in a dried-up streambed, Tickler and Gobbler were accosted by an excited and out-of-breath Vietnamese soldier waving a WWI-style rifle. Marched at gunpoint to what appeared to be an abandoned and half-demolished building -- but what turned out to be a cleverly-disguised top-secret army training facility, some of the soldiers tried to read the shreddie while others subjected the hares to 6 hours of brutal interrogation: "We are officers of the Vietnamese Army, we will not beat you but you must answer our questions: What is your favorite color? Do you like to cook? Would you like us to cook for you? Do you find that the harmony of a marriage is enhanced when the wife contributes to family earnings by working outside of the home?" As was inevitable, the emotionally exhausted and broken hares finally agreed to visit the base commander's home near Hanoi for the next village festival and to go cafe-hopping with some of the officers next time they made a field-trip to HCMC. After Tickler corrected the (hand)-written report of our arrest -- and the official photographer was finally located so that we could have a group photo -- the terrifying ordeal drew to a close. - Run #262, June 1996:
We were warned of land mines, soldiers and unexploded ordinance from the Hare Peter Perfect ... but we've heard those stories before. While finishing the third leg of this run, Anti- Social Miserable Bastard Elementary (ASMBE) a front running bastard, came running back while checking out a false trail, with 3 bullets chasing him, shot off from the Vietnamese Army. Within seconds, several AK-47 armed VN Army boy soldiers came running through the jungle and surrounded the 41 Hashers, not releasing us until 1.5 hours later after it was dark. We realized the only reason they let us go was because the football finals had started on the tele. - 1995:
While setting a Hash on his mountain bike near the Tiger Brewery, the BOY WANKER (Tom Vovers from BHP) was apprehended by the army - they poked the nose of their rifle through his bike spokes, breaking several. His driver came to his rescue, exchanging a bit of $$ for his release an hour later, - MARCH 1995:
I Dream of Jeannie and Hang Down Your Head were apprehended mid- week while looking for a suitable Hash location near the airport, for their FIRST Hared Saigon Hash. Not even on VN military territory, they were waved down and brought onto military premises by an AK-47 wielding boy soldier who didn't even know how to open and close the car door. They were held for 2 hours before being released by a smiling sergeant who realized he knew a friend of Hang Down Your Head's... - Christmas Eve Hash, 1994:
We ran near a quiet shooting range when all of a sudden it became quite active. The Down Down's were chased away 2 times by armed Vietnamese military, with the 3rd attempt at the Agricultural University, a drunk guard waved his gun around until flustered Hashers finally left the area. - EASTER 1993 :
While hashing near Cat Lai, a drunken farmer - possible secret policeman squeezed off 3 shots, gathered the 30 odd Hashers, marched them through the paddy fields and into a room. After an exchange of cigarettes and pocket change and 1 hour deliberating by BUSBYS BABE, the Hashers were set free, however BUSBY'S BABE was still held for 2 more hours. She was finally let go after signing a statement saying the incident never happened. - AUGUST 1992:
While finishing the Hash in an area South of District 4, the Hashers were arrested by the Army, corralled together and held for over an hour. With the beer nearby, they managed to pop open a few cold ones and carry on in the group. Darkness came and the ingenious Hashers purchased firewood from an old Vietnamese lady nearby and started a campfire. After the Captain got through to someone important on a Hasher's mobile phone, they were released, however the Army proceeded to arrest the old woman who sold the firewood. Bluey's Elucidation: We always seem to see unexploded ordinance around the area. While it is hashing etiquette to call out 'hole' or barbed wires... we should also frequently call out *bomb* so hashers won't step on one while running by.