[herdswoman]

I recently had a fold down gooseneck hitch installed in my F-350. I also wanted the bedliner sprayed, but NOT with Rhinoliner (stuff will take off the first three layers of skin). I had seen a product in my blacksmith's truckbed that was smoother and tough as nails. He slides an anvil in and out at least six times a day, five to six days a week, for the last four years and has not gotten through the liner yet. He didn't know what it was for sure, either.

I got estimates from several companies and one stood out from all the others on product knowledge: Mitch's Hitches. He also figured that I must be talking about Linex (either that, or something that was no longer available).

He did the installation, arranged for the bed to be sprayed, did a superb job and I couldn't be more pleased. Tom is happy - and that says plenty. In the course of conversation on Dec. 7th, an article in the Wall Street Journal appeared that showed his brother driving GraveDigger the monster truck. It was really neat that happened for them, but I didn't think much about it after I left.

The best is yet to come:

So.....we adopt this Christmas family from the Salvation Army via the students at work. Of course the faculty gets behind them, because the students are "student poor". There is a 6 year old boy in that family that needs toys. Well, I started thinkin' that anyone can go to WalMart, but not just anyone gets a hitch put on their truck by the brother of the guy who drives GraveDigger. So I call Mitch at the shop, compliment him on the job, tell him that our ridiculously large trailer pulls like a dream (and it does). I ask him if he has any GraveDigger memorabilia lying around or if he can hook me up. He says "Hang on, Charlie is right here." Last Thursday when I was there, Charlie was tooling around Europe in GraveDigger (and all I know about monster trucks would fit in the eye of needle and still have room for thread). Next thing I know, I'm back in the shop and Charlie is arranging for the kids to take a ride in the monster truck he has there. I was hoping for a plastic truck, and this man comes up with a real one. Wow.

What a great man, with a great heart. I have said this before, but it's worth repeating: A real champion has very little to do with what happens on the track. The true character of person is measured by the way he treats someone who can do nothing for him; and what he does when no one is looking.

When he's not out on an international circuit, he's welding up hitches in his brother's shop, in Dickie's navy blue, just a regular joe. Wow.

[oz07]

Great Story - There are still some good fokls out there.