OK. Made it home from the Convention and I just have to tell you this story.
A little bit of background first. I was given a 1945 MB jeep from a Battle of the Bulge First Sergeant. My collection is mostly US military weapons and equipment, but I do own a Mule - and now an MB. I did not know much about the MB and had an "issue" with it. Long story short (probably too late for that now, huh?) - My MB had a CJ windshield on it. I got the correct MB windshield and now have an "extra" CJ windshield that I don't need. Hey, what if I take it to the MVPA National Convention and sell it there? Good idea, huh?
So - I load it in the van and haul it to Topeka, put a sign on my show "bag - bag", and walk around the convention just waiting to sell this valuable piece of military equipment. Nobody wants to buy it. Uh, OK. I know some folks here. I will just give it to them. No thanks, we don't really want it either. This is a complete inner and outer windshield. Sure, the glass is broken, but hey - IT'S FREE! No, thanks anyway.
OK.
Now, it gets interesting. There is this guy (Let's call him "Guy A".) that has some tire pumps for the jeep. I need a tire pump for the MB, because I just bought this new rear seat and it has tire pump mounting brackets. As a side note, he also has some jacks. I need a jack, but we don't talk about that. I knew they were kind of expensive and I have a jack from an M-151 MUTT that will work. Anyway, I buy a tire pump. Those things are kind of expensive, too. He is the last stop before we leave for the day. In fact, we are carrying the day's purchases to the van and stopped to get the tire pump on the way out the door. I make sure the tire pump will fit the mounting brackets on the new rear seat. It fits like a glove and he takes a photo of it just for grins. I think what the heck and ask him if he would like a free windshield for a CJ. Sounds like a good deal to him, so he takes the windshield. No problem. I will bring it back in, when I get all of this stuff hauled to the van.
On the way to the van with - literally - arm loads of stuff (seat, cushions, oil filter, fuel filter, tire pump, safety straps, front bumper, etc, etc, etc), we meet another guy (Let's call him "Guy B".). We are visiting about the convention and having a great conversation on the way to the parking lot. Oddly enough he is parked almost beside us in the parking lot. We get to the van, put the new stuff on the ground, and unload the windshield in preparation to load the new stuff. He sees the windshield - knowing we did not carry it out and asks about it. He wants to buy it. OK - this might be a little touchy, now. I make a very quick decision - - - - and I tell him that I have just now given it to a dealer in the show and am delivering it to him now. I tell him that I will take him - and the windshield - to the dealer and introduce them to each other. He can buy it from the dealer.
So - back into the building and straight to "Guy A". Here is your windshield and - oh, by the way, this guy wants to buy it. I head off back to pick up one last thing for the MB. On the way out for the last time, I run into "Guy B". He has purchased the windshield from "Guy A" and is pleased to have it. He completely understands my position on giving it to "Guy A" and thanks me for my integrity. He mentions that the purchase price would pay for the paint "Guy A" needed to paint his vehicle. We shake hands and all is good.
Now - off to see "Guy A". He is right there by the front door, anyway. I wanted to tell him I did not want to put him on the spot and wanted to see if he was OK with the situation. He also thanks me for my integrity - and the free windshield. Yes, he mentions that now he has the money to paint his vehicle. We shake hands and all is good. I turn to head out the door. He stops me, turns around to his tables, and hands me a jack for my MB! Remember, we don't talk about jacks, when I am buying the tire pump. I have no idea how he knew I wanted a jack! My wife, who was with me the entire time, did not know I wanted a jack - until I told her - on the way out to the van.
Military vehicle folks are just the nicest folks you will ever meet!!!!
Sorry for the long post. I just had to tell the story.
