. It was March 18th, Gary’s birthday, an observance of a half century endurance, the 50 year old reaching a milestone. A birthday celebration was in order but the cardinal day wasn’t the 18th of March, but the 17th. St. Patrick would also have to relinquish an acknowledgement for it was Jan’s Mother, Helen Murrow’s birthday. Gary concurring her seniority should always take precedence, having accepted the Murrow annual family event through the years as reality and a pinion of life.
. His birthday was distinctive, sharing a common bond with his Father, both born on the 18th of March. But a curiosity always lingered, an elevation of Kismet, Gary having remembrances of his birthdays during his youthful East Oakland ascendancy but never recalling a commemorative ceremony for his Dad. His day was not without recognition on the 18th, Jan providing a birthday cake and gifts to mark the occasion, Gary’s receiving acknowledgement for this day, a telephone call from his mother in California and a perfunctory birthday greeting from Jan’s family.
. With the arrival spring having set forth, found the greening of nature in full bloom, another Kansas winter now a historic precedent. The double corner lot hosting the residence, its capacious area of lawn requiring weekly attention, Gary’s 26 inch deck riding Snapper Lawn Mower accorded to him by his father-in-law, having seen better days and was in need of replacement. A decision being made to call upon Denny Callison, a diesel mechanic friend at Kiowa Service Company, the John Deere Dealership which inaugurated Gary’s first Kansas employment.
. The Kiowa resident maintaining a small assembled inventory in his sideline business of refurbishing riding lawn mowers. A telephone call to the mower entrepreneur, Gary finding Denny was about to conclude work on a Snapper with a larger 32 inch deck and was willing to accept Gary’s well-worn mower in trade. A complication of transporting the mower presenting a dilemma, not wanting to impose on his father-in-law for use of his pickup, Gary having already made a decision to acquire a trailer for the purpose of cutting and hauling his firewood for the coming winter, it would also fulfill his mower transportation agenda.
. The trailer search beginning, Gary first approached Harold Madsen, the owner of Madsen Automotive to have a trailer hitch installed on the 87 Buick and having noticed on one occasion a trailer displayed on Harold’s used car lot, inquired about them. Harold asserting because of the farming community, the demand for trailers was high and adding that they were seldom part of a trade. Gary left with one local option the classified section of the Anthony Republican newspaper and to his amazement asserted a one line ad, “For Sale – 2 wheel trailer, $250.00” and a phone number. Gary immediately directing a call of inquiry to the local number, an elderly sounding gentlemen answering.
. Gary’s first questions after inquiring about its availability was pertaining to its size and condition, but instead any descriptive information about the trailer, the person on the other end of the line began a dissertation and explanation of its prior use in his lawn mowing business. Finally, prodding the slow talking individual on the other end of the line, being somewhat blunt, Gary asking again about its size adding the word dimensions. The hesitant answer finally coming back “Well I don’t know how big it is, but it holds two Lawn Boys and a Snapper
. Gary’s response was a simple okay, I’ll be right over, asking for the address. which happened to be just across Main St on the south side of town. The brief drive fulfilled, he introduced himself to an elderly couple as the person who had called about the trailer. The owner continuing where he had left off on the phone about his past lawn service, retirement and that the trailer was still in fairly good shape but he no longer had a need for it. The trailer was of heavy metal welded frame construction, approximately 8 ft. in length and 5 ft. wide. The flooring was weathered worn 3/4 inch plywood, boxed-in with ¼ inch thick metal rails, all sitting on a metal frame that fastened to a rear axle with 16 inch wheels. It did have two wire frayed tail lights that resembled those on Gary’s traded 1951 Dodge pickup
. Gary was satisfied but did question the elderly owner if the price was negotiable, receiving a one word answer, “nope” . The hitch ball fit and with its coupling the trailer found a new home at 602 N. Springfield, another undertaking accomplished.
Inquisitive Quest 
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