The first tractor my dad ever owned was a 1941 LA. It was the first tractor I ever drove. He kept it until 1967 and let a slick talking car dealer talk him out of it. I remember crying as it left our driveway. Dad later told me he regretted selling it an hour after it left. A few years ago after I got the kids thru college and off the payroll, I tried to find dad's LA. He remembered the guy's name and I called everyone with that same name in 4 counties surrounding us but no one had any lead on dad's tractor.
I finally placed a wanted ad on Craigslist for a LA and in a couple of weeks a guy only 75 miles away replied that he had one for sale. I went to look at it, we made a deal and I brought it home without telling dad about it. We invited dad up for Father's Day dinner and I parked the LA in our back yard. Dad drove up and went straight to the tractor with a grin from ear to ear. When I got out there he said "Wayne, you found Little John!" It was the happiest I had seen him since way before momma got sick and eventually died. That tractor brought him back some joy of younger days.
I explained how I got the tractor and how I had hunted "Little John" but couldn't find it. He said "well, this can be Little John now." When he was able he enjoyed driving the tractor around the field and pulling his great grandchildren in a wagon I have to pull behind it. I carried it to our local antique tractor "plow day" and they let him lead the "Parade of Power." Good times indeed.
