Mom’s Maytag

By Staff
Published on November 1, 1991

11815E850 S. 27 Hartford City, Indiana 47348

Several years ago our four sons became interested in old
gasoline engines. A friend gave our oldest son a Maytag that really
got the ‘Engine Pox’ started. The boys traveled to several
shows and made lots of friends. They would sleep wherever they
could- might be a barn, under a truck, in the car or wherever. The
older engine enthusiasts took the boys under their wings. Dad and
Mom usually showed up on day two to check on the boys.

Dad said that his idea of camping was in a Holiday Inn and you
wouldn’t catch him staying overnight, although he was beginning
to like these shows.

One thing led to another and they purchased a 1946 GMC truck,
mounted engines on it, and it was quite a show piece. The only
problem was, there was no one to drive the truck that they were
going to use to camp in. Dad gave in, and Mom and Dad started going
along, with several of us camping out at the shows by now.

One day Mom, who knew nothing about engines, was on her way to
work and found a gas engine at a rummage sale. The man said it was
a Maytag and it was all there. Well, he didn’t know beans from
apple butter about gas engines, either. So, Mom wrote a check.

Being very proud of herself, Mom went home after work to show
off her newly purchased Maytag. Well, needless to say, the boys and
Dad really had a good laugh. Mom’s Maytag turned out to be a
Briggs and Stratton. This was several years ago. Mom has learned a
little more about gas engines and now leaves all the buying to the
other family members. However, the boys still laugh about it. They
keep saying they are going to get the necessary parts to complete
this engine. So, if you are ever at a show and you see this Briggs
with a sign that says ‘Mom’s Maytag,’ you will know
that they carried out their threat to display Mom’s Maytag.
They said I paid too much money for it, but it someday may be worth
what I paid. It has brought lots of laughs and they sure enjoy
telling the story.

By the way, Dad now spends at least 14 weekends camping at these
shows, but not in a Holiday Inn.

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