First, a look at things:
Wired and bolted in place on two large display trailer riggings, seat after seat after seat, each like some worn metallic flower catching the late afternoon sun.
I wondered out loud about what they were -- tractor seats? -- and the proprietor said no, they were older than that, some were plow seats, some were seats for old farm buggies.
He began to tell me about the price this one or that one had fetched at auction, and showed me a magazine article that mentioned his collecting ways. He said he was older now, and when I asked his age he said 93.
I decided to share a bit more than I usually do with y'all -- after all, it isn't every day one meets a semi-famous collector of cast iron seats. I asked if he'd mind if I took his picture, and he snorted a little grin and said I wasn't too picky if I wanted a photo of him. And then he said yes. He was quite the character.
His name is Don Lanford, and I only hope I'd be as full of sparks if I lived that long.
10 comments:
Touching.
I love the image of those tractor seats (et al.), and the story about them, and the image of their owner. Delicious.
An uncharacteristic character, love it!
I think you live in an enchanted world, Lori, where old buggy seats turn into flowers and remarkable 93 year old guys sit for their photos. It is wonderful to dip in (on deadline, shouldn't even be here...must rush away..)
thats a wonderful bit of humanity! great write up.
Thanks for all the color and the sunshine and especially Don Lanford, a lively and inspiring 92-year-old man wearing a fine bolo tie. My Dad used to wear bolo ties. He died four years ago and would have been 93 this year.
My uncle has/had? several of them on various obsolete pieces of machinery in the haggard which my brothers and I used to play on as kids on holidays... They were cold to sit on first thing in the morning ...even in an Irish summer :D
wow. reminds me of the time i got the privilege of meeting big al taplet (outsider artist from new orleans). lovely story.
what a sweet old guy!
Curious!
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