I am new to this area but I do have a story to share with you. About 15 years ago I got into restoring pumps and did about 200 of them before moving to a golf course commuity and lost my shop..Thank you wife. My 15 year old son and I left Houston to pick up 5 pumps I had bought from a retired Texaco retailer.. After loading them on a flatbed trailer, this man told me of a Real Estate Agent that had two pumps on his country property and was certain he would like to get rid of them..We drove to this central Texas town that will remain nameless and located the owner.. My son and I were pretty dirty after loading the pumps and did not make a pretty picture.. I asked this man about his pumps and what kind they were and if he would like to sell them. He then advised me that he was a busy man and did not have time to talk to me.. He said if I wanted the pumps just to go get them and not bother him. He said to go about 6 miles down this farm road and take a right at the first Y and after another 2 miles a left at the second Y and the pumps would be by the road on the right. We did as he said and sure enough there were two tall Tokeim pumps with Skelly globes still on them. Two lenses were broke but two were good and it would make a good set. We noticed that the pumps were still hooked up and had electricity. We drove down the road about 1/2 mile to another farm house and called the man. I asked him if he wanted the globes and that there was still juice at the pumps. He again reminded how busy he was and he didnt care about globes or bulbs or anything. He said to go to the barn and there was a breaker to cut off the electricity. We went back and did as he requested and unhooked the pumps loaded them up and were on our way pumps, globes and all.
About 3 months later I was working and on my desk saw the mans card.. I knew he would be busy but I wanted to call him and thank him for the merchandise.. When I called to thank him, he said... I dont know what your talking about.. my old pumps are still there and I thought you changed your mind. You can just imagine what I felt like.. I told my son what happened and the first thing he said was "Dad we have to take them back".
The next weekend he and I drove back and being a former police officer I went to the local Sheriffs office and told them what I had done. He was real nice but said no one had reported anything stolen and I should try to locate the owner and explain what had happened. We went back and went to the door and the gentleman said that he was only a tenant. But the landlord had came by a month before and thanked him for getting rid of those old pumps. Man was I relieved. And yes we located the correct pumps after taking the correct turn at the Y. These were nothing but shells of two short chrome top Southwest pumps.. I lucked out by not getting in trouble. It was my fault for not double checking, but I thought I had,with that busy real estate agent.. Also it tought my son a lesson in honesty.