[meteorite-list] A dealer with a heart.

From: Jerry A. Wallace <jwal2000_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2008 15:33:55 -0500
Message-ID: <490382B3.3000804_at_swbell.net>

Dear Meteorite Flavored Folks,

I write this as a testimonial to one of the most caring and esteemed
dealers in our
meteorite community.

Here is a lady whose heart is as generous and grand as the great state
of Colorado,
where she resides. She has a heart filled with caring and compassion for
her customers,
as well as her fellow man. She is a rarity in these times of economic
uncertainty and
personal financial concerns. She is one who gives without being asked.

My wife Kathy and I made a major (for us) purchase from this fine lady some
months back. I briefly mentioned that we would be on a diet of bologna and
stale, dry bread for many months to come in order to afford the rare
specimen
that we were purchasing.

Then, as luck would have it, Dr. Ehlmann released yet another fine and
precious
specimen from that most wondrous of collections of Texas meteorites, the
Monnig
Collection.

Having learned my lesson several years back about rare specimens not lasting
long on the open market, I (with Kathy's gracious permission and in
collusion)
decided to bite the bullet and acquire that next expensive rarity for
our Texas
collection.

Again, I mentioned to our favorite dealer that we would probably have to
go on
"half rations" of our bologna and dry bread diet in order to survive our
decision
to keep our Texas Collection as our foremost consideration. (The kids
starved
years ago early in our collection process. Still feel bad about that,
but we must let
bygones be bygones. Water under the bridge, as it were.)

Imagine our surprise when the specimen arrived and in the box were not only
the rare meteorite and its documentation but also a huge stack of
current food
coupons. Now we can have cheese and mayonnaise on our bologna sandwiches.
And there were coupons for burritos, for Pillsbury dinner rolls, for
Pillsbury frozen
cookies, for Red Baron French Bread Paninis, for Chef Boyardee ravioli and
beefaroni as well as a variety of "Forkables", coupons for juices,
potpies, and
Ball Park Franks. And the list could go on and on. We'll eat like kings
and queens
this winter and have our meteorites, too. What more could poor folks ask?

Now I ask you, is there a finer, more generous meteorite dealer on this
planet, or
any other planet that we know about? I think not. Without mentioning
specific names,
can you even in your wildest dreams imagine a Farmer, a Blood, or a
Cottingham
helping to feed their hungry customers in these dire times? (I lied
about not mentioning
names.) Again, not damned likely.

And so, with tongue firmly planted in cheek, I nominate Ms. Anne Black
as the most
humane and thoughtful of existing Meteorite Dealers. I ask that the
powers that be
(Mr. Bostick, et al, if memory serves) initiate and produce an award to
be presented
at the Tucson Auction/ Awards Ceremony this coming year for "The Most
Generous
and Caring Meteorite Dealer Known to Mankind".

Best regards to all,

Jerry Wallace
Odessa, Texas


P.S. to Mr. Mike Farmer... Please read and understand the above letter
in the spirit
in which it was written, an attempt at humor, and don't get all warped
out of shape
just because I mentioned your name. You, Mr. Blood and Mr. Cottingham
are all
fine dealers deserving of recognition as well. I have been a customer of
all of you
over the years but none of you have ever helped feed me when I made
extravagant
purchases from you. Thanks, jw.
Received on Sat 25 Oct 2008 04:33:55 PM PDT