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MAN ARRESTED AFTER SECRETLY LIVING INSIDE BASS PRO PYRAMID FOR 47 DAYS, CLAIMED HE WAS "PROVIDING AN IMMERSIVE OUTDOOR EXPERIENCE" MEMPHIS, TN — A 36-year-old Memphis man was arrested this week after allegedly living inside the Bass Pro Shops Pyramid for 47 days while convincing employees he was simply part of the attraction. According to police, Dustin Rayford would slip into the store shortly before closing each night, crawl into a camping display near the fake cypress swamp, and emerge every morning acting like he'd just paddled in from the Mississippi River. Employees reportedly never questioned his presence because they assumed he was either a manager, a vendor, or just another guy waiting on the Tigers to have a winning football season. The scheme apparently went unnoticed for weeks as Rayford wandered the store offering unsolicited outdoor wisdom to shoppers. Witnesses say he frequently greeted customers with phrases such as: "Morning. The catfish were restless last night." "Saw three raccoons and a Nissan Altima fighting near the observation deck." "You can tell it's gonna rain. My left knee and the ducks both know it." Authorities say he survived on beef jerky, trail mix, fudge samples, fountain drinks, and enough free popcorn to medically qualify as a movie theater. Things reportedly escalated when employees discovered Rayford had transformed a display tent into what investigators described as "a fully functional Midtown apartment." The campsite allegedly included: • Four blankets • A folding recliner • A phone charging station plugged into a decorative tree stump • A battery-powered lantern • A handwritten journal titled "Off Grid, But With Air Conditioning" Store employees became suspicious after Rayford began giving daily tours of "his territory" and referring to the aquarium fish by first name. The operation finally unraveled when he reportedly submitted a maintenance request to management asking that someone "do something about the humidity in the east wing of my campsite." When confronted, Rayford argued he had actually been helping boost sales. "Every tent I slept in sold within three days," he allegedly told officers. "You're welcome." Police escorted him out of the Pyramid Tuesday morning. As officers led him away, several customers reportedly applauded, one asked if his campsite was available on Airbnb, and another inquired whether the Bass Pro annual membership included housing options. At press time, Memphis officials were reportedly investigating rumors that a second man has been living undetected inside the pyramid's elevator system... Cliff Messer