In the wee hours of October 29, MoDOT’s work zone protector and spokesbarrel extraordinaire, Barrel Bob, was abducted from his post on US 54 near the Lake of the Ozarks and forced to car surf atop a PT Cruiser.
Luckily, the Osage Beach police were on the job. They liberated the 11-foot tall safety mascot from the back bedroom of a Lake area condo.
Bob had sustained damage to his head and the amputation of his lower legs, but skilled technicians in MoDOT’s Jefferson City shop performed the plastic surgery necessary to bring Bob back to his glory.
Bob’s Facebook fans were shocked by the news, but began teasing him about being taken away by two female barrelnappers. Bob, however, only has eyes for his female counterpart, Barrel Betty, who works for MoDOT in the Kansas City region.
It wasn't Bob's first abduction. Last year, after several days missing from his job site, his dismembered body was found in a field in western Missouri. Those perpetrators were not identified, but those involved in the Osage Beach incident were identified and might face charges.
When the healing process is complete, Bob will return to his work, alerting drivers to pay attention and drive carefully in work zones. Follow his adventures on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MOBarrelBob.
