I was at Iowa Gas back in 1999. I got there early on Friday morning, made a quick lap around the swap meet buying a few cans along the way. I tried making a deal on a nice Hull bodied Sinclair H-C red dot globe. The asking price wasn't too bad, but certainly not a bargain. The dealer had a little room on the price but I decided to pass on it until I had a chance to see what was in the auction. I went inside to see what the indoor vendors had and then over to check out what was being offered in the auction. I was amazed to see a Drake's Super Ethyl globe. Even though I was on a limited budget I knew I was taking that globe home (I had my wife's credit card, haha).
By late afternoon I was ready to get cleaned up and find something to eat, but I had to check out the auction items again to see if there were any late additions. I picked out a few cans to bid on that night, and went over to look at "my" globe again. It was GONE!!!!!! They had re-arranged most of the globes. I looked all over. I couldn't find it. John Chance was in his customary seat by the door watching over things. I went over to him in a state of panic to see what happened to my globe. The conversation went like this. (My use of all cap's is not meant to seperate my comments from John's, but to point out the difference in the decibel levels between what John and I said)
JOHN!!!!! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE DRAKE'S SUPER ETHYL GLOBE?
Hi, um, what?
THE DRAKE'S SUPER REGULAR GLOBE!!!!!! WHAT HAPPENED TO IT????? IT'S GONE!!!!!!
Oh, we re-arranged the globes. Look around.
I DID, IT'S GONE!!!!
Are you sure?
YES!!!! IT'S GONE!!!!!
Oh. Did you look up on the podium?
YES!!! IT'S NOT HERE!!!!!
Oh.
DID IT GET BROKEN?
No.
DID THE CONSIGNOR WITHDRAW IT ????
Oh, umm, ahh, yes, we did have one consignor withdraw a few items from the auction. WHO????? I HAVE TO OWN THAT GLOBE!!!
What's the big deal about this globe?
MY LAST NAME IS DRAKE!!! I HAVE TO BUY THAT GLOBE!!!!!
Oh, the consignor is Kim Kokles.
IS HE STILL HERE???
Yes.
WHERE CAN I FIND HIM???
In the west lot.
WHERE IN THE WEST LOT??
I don't know exactly where, just look around for him.
I DON"T KNOW HIM.
Just ask someone out there, they'll tell you where to find him.
I headed for the west lot at a "brisk pace". I wasn't twenty feet in the gate when I came across Ron Hoyt headed the other way. Our conversation went like this.
HI RON.
(Ron, all smiles)HI, how ya doin?
OK, DO YOU KNOW KIM KOKLES?
(Ron, smile suddenly gone) Why?
HE PULLED A GLOBE FROM THE AUCTION.
Ok.
I HAVE TO BUY IT!
Why?
IT HAS MY NAME ON IT.
That's his booth over there. He's not around.
THANKS!
Yea.
I went over to the booth. Turns out it was where I tried making a deal on the H-C globe. I looked around. No Drake's globe in sight. I paced back and forth for what seemed like an eternity. Pretty soon Kim's wife Mary showed up. I asked about the Drake's globe. She looked in their van. It wasn't there. Then she remembered that it was in a box under the table. I pulled it out, looked it over, and asked what she wanted for it. She said I'd have to ask Kim. We visited for awhile. Most vendors were packing up and there was another item I wanted to check out. She assured me the globe wasn't going anywhere. I left to see if I could make a deal on another lens. Turned out it was already sold. I headed back to get "my" globe. Kim was working on selling the H-C globe when I walked up. Mary told him I was there to buy a globe that she was holding until I returned. Kim thought she was talking about the H-C globe that he was trying to sell to another collector. I said I was interested in it, but needed to talk to him about another globe first. The other guy finally made up his mind to buy the H-C globe. Kim wasn't sure what to do since I had talked to him about it first. I said sell it. They finalized their deal and Kim asked what globe I was interested in. The Drake's Super Ethyl.
Really???
Yeah, what do you want for it?
He quoted a very reasonable price and pointed out that one lens was cracked.....(something about a guy named Jarvis. LOL. Well, not really).
I'LL TAKE IT!!!
Huh, I never thought that globe would sell so fast. Your name must be Drake.
When John Chance saw me at the auction that evening he asked if I got my globe. I replied yes, and thanked him.
Not many guys can say they own a globe with their name on it. Here's mine.
[This message has been edited by Lastgas15 (edited 01-10-2005).]