Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/10/16
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Although my father was born long after, he also inherited depression era values. His parents were dirt poor living in Oklahoma. As a result, we weren't allowed to own anything that used batteries. He saw that as a waste of money. Until the day he died, he bought clothes from the Salvation Army. Jeffery Smith New Orleans, LA -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+jls=runbox.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+jls=runbox.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Walker Smith Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2004 4:47 PM To: lug@leica-users.org Subject: [Leica] Yankee bashing??? And an attempt to change the subject... > > >Dad hated to spend money on >anything, so a Leica was way, way out of the question. > Jeffrey, my father managed to do more with less money than almost anyone else I've ever known. He graduated high school in 1929 and was a true product of Depression-era thinking. Nothing went to waste and his interests either cost little or nothing (library books such as Gibbon's "Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire" and similar topics of an historical nature) or photography which earned money through weddings and copying and such. Long story short: My father worked an average of 55 hours a week for 40 straight years without one single vacation! He built a two-story all-brick home with full basement in two years with his own hands in evening and weekend hours AFTER working his normal job in milling. Self-reliant and self-sufficient. No drinking or smoking either. When Pop bought a piece of camera gear, he had a definite need and purpose for it and it paid for itself. His IIIa Leica went everywhere with him....... in the mill truck or his car, he always had it and he recorded nearly 60 years of life in our area which is what the Smithsonian was interested in preserving. His three lens - 35, 50 & 90mm - were all pre-war and uncoated but he knew how to make the most of them. The IIIa was quite literally worn out over the years. I have it now with some pieces missing because rather than pay to have it repaired, he tried to fix it himself. Someday I'll find another IIIa that I can take some parts from and return it to useable condition. I've already CLA'd his Exakta IIa. I also have his Model A Leica and need to find someone who is able to do a decent CLA on it. It works OK now but I'd like to have it cleaned and lubed. Anyway, the Terps are back on the field now. Gotta go. Walker _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information