Let's make deals

 You all might recall the guy who is a neighbor, a farmer, and runs an excavation and gravel business.  He redid our steep driveway a couple of years ago. 

He has remained a solid guy for snowplowing at $50 per plow. He also checks in on me when he does plowing. I call that pretty neighborly. He knows I'm here on my own.

A week ago Frank came while I was feeding critters. I didn't have my car moved out of his way, he said he would plow around it.

Then the conversation.

"Say....whaddyagoing to do with that Chevy Truck over there?"

Junk it.

"Can I buy it for parts?"

Can I trade you for plowing?

"That's a lot of plowing."

That's less $ out of my pocket.

"That's true. I can do that."

Good Trade then, if you can use it?

"Good Trade."

I reached in through the window of his truck and we shook hands.

Deal--- Done.

There are still places in the US where a handshake is the real thing. The art of trading in a rural area is better than money or contracts.

Today Frank stopped by again. He asked if he could look at the skid steer I had. I'd previously asked him if he knew of anyone who would be interested in it. 

I am not qualified to use it or care for it. I don't get along with machinery. It is a nice piece of equipment and shouldn't just sit in a shed and get dusty and eaten by mice.

I helped him start up the skid steer and left him to it in the shed. He ran it through its paces while I tended to the mules.

When he turned it off, I walked in. 

"How much for it?" he asked.

I told him. I priced it on what we'd paid for it. I know could get more if I advertised on Market Place but I didn't want to deal with strangers calling and asking questions I couldn't answer. OR strange men coming to my place.

Then I took him out to where the hay fork and plow were sitting on the old hay hauler. I told him that the implements went with it.

We stood while the snow fell all around us. Frank seemed to be thinking.

"The implements too?" 

Yup, they go with that particular skid steer.

I asked Frank if he would consider some Dozer and Excavation work for me. I explained my project ideas while we walked back to the house. 

Frank stopped and looked at the fallen down garage.

"I can take care of that for you too," he said. "We can do this and things will look great for when you are ready to have your auctions. I'll be happy to help out."

I was surprised and pleased. I said I wanted to bring this place back to its glory days.

When I sell this place, I want people to see this incredibly beautiful place we have without all the piles of junk laying around.

Frank nodded. "It is a beautiful place you have here. Cleaning it up will really make it shine."

Another handshake. He was giving our old truck new life as a 'parts donor'.  

He was giving the skid steer a good home too. Plus with our trade deals, we'd both come out on top.

Funny how that is. The things that were so precious to Rich will be going just a couple miles away and put to good use.

Let's make a deal.