Memories For Sale

I saw that Trigger was going up for auction and was expected to fetch $200k or so. A lot of money for a stuffed horse once ridden by Roy Rogers. That’s nostalgia and I suppose it is a sad story on many levels. The reason Trigger is for sale apparently is that the Roy Rogers museum in Missouri is out of business. No word if Roy had Dale stuffed and mounted, too. Or if she is for sale.

Also very sad to see is the complete mss of Fredric Brown for sale for only $30k. If I had the money, I’d certainly go for this. Trigger, not so much (OK, I admit it. I was more a Gene Autrey fan but Lash LaRue and especially Paladin were my faves).

I use Fredric Brown as an example of the most rare of writers–one who could do a complete short story in only a couple hundred words. He ground out words, probably easily since he was an old-line newspaper reporter, and some were fantastic. I have hunted for years for his short story that starts something like “Grandpa had been dead for a week when he came downstairs for breakfast.” Any ideas?

I hope Brown’s archives are properly appreciated. And that Trigger goes to a good stable. I can almost see stall after stall filled with Trigger and Champion and Diablo and…