Farmer next door died and left everything to his only son. That boy was worthless riding or walking but knew how to have a good time. We are talking several million dollars in 1959 money. All but a very tiny bit tied up in cropland and timber. Any cash on hand must have been spent in less than a year because after that point in time he started selling off timber, land and then the farmland. His father owned more property than anyone else in the county so it lasted years. I think the last was sold off in the early 1980's, call it about a 25 year period. In the end he was broke, body worn out from years of drinking, heavy smoking and other stuff shall we say. I doubt he died with a spare pack of cigarettes but he did party for nearly three decades.

In 1964 he came to see my father about selling his home farm to him. We had been tending the farm since his father died and knew it well. Drove up in a new Mercury convertible, with a blond and brunette on the front seat. Said he was "looking for a good redhead". The things which go over your head as a kid. Anyways, he wanted $125,000.00 for the farm and timber. Claimed he had the timber cruised for more than that. He needed the money fast because he was headed to Florida for the winter and had a hot business deal down there he want to get into. They dickered over the price for about ten minutes and settled at 110K. Went into town and started the paperwork. Sealed the deal later that week. Sold the timber off in a couple years, to pay off the mortgage and had enough left over to build four new chicken houses and buy a new John Deere combine. Land is part of the main farm still, timber should be cut again soon if the price is good and I can figure out how to delay the taxes until Hell freezes over. I have wondered over the years if he ever found that redhead?