Inquisitive Quest

Kiowa School Board – (L to R) Glen Piper, Bert Gillig, Tom Farney, Ron Allenbach, Walter Fry, Kathy Grant, Wanda Eckert, David Wolgamont, Larry Mc Cart6y, David Meyer

.  An  influential ingredient inaugurated life’s equation,  Jan having recently obtained a full time RN position at Hospital District #6 of Harper County better known as the Anthony Hospital and with it came the prospect of the family relocating the thirty miles to Anthony.  Gary in a quandary, his five years of school employment a blessing, a long existing Board of Education policy was relevant,  all non-certified employees must reside in the school district.   A decision to confer his dilemma with the school superintendent Glen Piper,  expressing his ardent desire to remain as an employee of USD 255,  questioning the possibility of the School Board making an exception on his behalf to the long standing protocol.   Leaving the Central Office meeting,  demarcating his possibility,  waiting for  the colloquy,  Glen notifying Gary of the board’s decision,  his out of district employment at the Grade School approved.

.  Jan’s Toyota Tercel Wagon having acquired an additional 30,000 miles during her daily 2 year journey to Pratt Community college demonstrated its reliability but Gary’s Isuzu Pickup with its 100,000 plus odometer reading wasn’t as trustworthy.  Gary very much aware of a possible 60 mile daily commute to Kiowa from Anthony and at the same time would like to find Jan more suitable transportation.   Accessing Bill Bogner’s Chevrolet-Buick Dealership, the couple abridging the multiple selection of Bill’s inventory down to a 1987,  blue,  six cylinder Buick Skylark..  The bartering trade-in, the 4-wheel drive Isuzu now a historical remembrance,  Gary inheriting Jan’s well-traveled 4-wheel drive SR5 Toyota,  the newly acquired 1987 Buick to fill Jan’s highway peregrinations.

.  Gary’s knowledge of Anthony Kansas was limited to the location of the John Deere Dealership and the Anthony Municipal Hall.   The Muni-Halls carriage,  the host of an ambitious craft expositions twice a year, an experience from Jan’s past ceramic business labors.   The prospects of a move to Anthony becoming a certainty with Jan’s avocation at the Hospital. Jan taking the initiative,  arranging  a weekend appointment with Dan Bird Realty,  the agent to acquaint the inquiring family to the available realty prospects their agency represented.  The two traveling to Anthony for the meeting, not with Dan, but a lady representative,  discovering most of the prospective metropolitan residency’s unsuitable. The itinerary included an introduction to rural property north of town and to the availability of several small houses addressing the Anthony City Lake,  but to their disappointment all retaining an absence of approbation.  The afternoons quest for a applicable home was about to conclude when the Realty Lady acknowledged a vacant residence on North Springfield that wasn’t on the market because of an ongoing foreclosure,  volunteering this house was her personal favorite, one she would love to have as her own.

.  Arriving at the unavailable house at 602 N. Springfield,  a revelation was discovered,  it was the second largest in Anthony,  a historic residence,  a placard stone embedded in the outside brick chimney-rise  dating 1904.   The couple waiting on the front porch to enter, the realty lady possessing only a back door key.  The front door opening to a large foyer and a wide carpeted staircase with solid oak banister pavilion to the second and third floors.  The three-storied structure presenting six gables,  1500 sq. ft. addressing each of the three levels,  with the second floor bedroom providing an added  large window enclosed sun-room over the south entrance portal porch.   A total of 4500 sq. ft. of living area,  composed of six upstairs bedrooms,  4 on the second floor, and two on the third. The third floor hosting a  ‘The Ballroom‘,  a very large one room pavilion where in a previous era dances were held, and from the kitchen an entry downstairs to  a open full semi-finished 1500 sq. ft. basement  with an outside door.

.  Without a doubt the residence was an empyrean domain.   The walk-thru acquaintance concluding, leaving the realm of this bounteous structure appraised as inaccessible,  Gary finding the words of a meaningful song resonating within,  “to dream the impossible dream” and the verse,  “this my quest,  to follow the star,  no matter how hopeless,  no matter how far”.   Seeing the expression on Jan’s face,  the coveting glow in her eyes,  the N. Springfield house was her desire,  Gary realizing his quest,  the acquisition gauntlet having been raised.

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