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Discover Mid-America — June 2010
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Thanks, Fred
Sometimes one just clicks with another. It’s one of those difficult-to-explain human phenomena that go beyond polite exchanges, almost to an otherworldly realm with the final conclusion being, “I really like this guy.” That’s how I felt about Fred Kottman, owner, with his son Charles, of Pink Barn Antiques in Rushville, MO.
The Pink Barn remains one of Discover Mid-America’s oldest advertisers, spending their money with us even before I got here. For years, I really didn’t think much about the shop. Then, for some reason, I decided early last year to personally deliver the then latest issue to the shop. All I had by way of introductions was a couple of names in the computer and assurances from ad rep Al Hedrick that I would be impressed with what I would find.
Many times meeting someone personally that one does business with can be a little awkward. I mean, how do you open the conversation? Saying, “Hi, I’m Bruce from Discover. I’ve never met you but thanks for all the money you’ve sent us all these years” doesn’t cut it.
Maybe I had such an intro on my face when I first met Fred because he quickly put me in perspective considering I was standing in his shop. Right off the bat he asked me why I was wearing boots. “You a cowboy?”
He knew I wasn’t. I knew I wasn’t. So the truthful and correct answer was: “No. Just like boots.”
After I regained my mental balance, Fred introduced me to Charles and we began the tour. About two minutes into it, I knew I had a story for Discover; one I wanted to do. The hundreds of antique lamps, shades, chandeliers brought light to my journalistic brain — here was story, one about a wily but upstanding father and his head-strong and talented son, and their shared love of lamps and the family ties that carried along with that mix of business and passion.
I told Charles and Fred I would return to interview them for an upcoming story. They liked the idea though maybe wondering if I was just talking. As a final test, Fred took me a to room filled with Discover boxes and thanked me for shipping the papers because they used the boxes to store lamp parts. By now, tuned into Fred’s sardonic ways, I said I was still going to do the piece even if “you do collect our boxes,” which we buy.
I wrote the story. It appeared in the June 2009 issue (www.discoverypub.com/feature/2009_06.html). It’s one of those pieces I return to every once and awhile because I’m proud of it, and it reminds me of an interview in which I learned a lot and enjoyed myself.
Recently, I read it again. Charles had called me and said his dad had unexpectedly died on March 21. All I could really say to Charles was, “I liked your dad.” I didn’t tell him that weeks earlier I had submitted the story to the annual contest conducted by the Kansas City Press Club.
A few weeks after I talked with Charles, I was notified that the story was under consideration for an award in the Features category.
Such things happen when you meet good people.
Bruce Rodgers can be contacted at publisher@discoverypub.com.
> Refurnished Thoughts Archive — past columns
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