A Gift From David B. Treadway

I think I'm suffering from some sort of "daddy disease", "no time disease" or "getting older disease"...I INTEND on doing something, but I either get called away to let the cat out, take out the trash or help with homework, or I just plain put it to the side for the morning, or when I get more time, or I just temporarily misplace it in a pile...ever have that problem?

Well, I must admit to all the above...and I hope I have not done him a dis-service, but The Great David B. Treadway sent me along one of the elusive KAAY belt buckles and an equally great story:

"Dear Bud,

Here is the artifact I referred to a few months back, the one that kept hiding from me whenever I tried to find it and give it to you. (Sounds familiar! bs)

The KAAY belt buckle dates from about 1976 and is based on a billboard campaign that was probably one of the last promotions Pat Walsh had a hand in before he was replaced as General Manager.

I don't remember if these were made available to the public or were reserved for staff members, but they are pretty rare in any case. This was my second one, as Sonny Martin III (Matt White) talked me out oif my original one- belt and all- one night at a huge outdoor concert in a field twenty miles south of Little Rock. Some pretty girl had talked him out of his, belt and all, and he wanted his jeans to stay up when he went back onstage.

This rightfully belongs to you in recognition of all your tireless efforts on behalf of the KAAY legacy and legend. Wear it in robust health or frame it and hang it. Either way, you will find it indestructable.

And now, by the ancient and mystical powers invested in me by the Mighty 1090 Skywave, and with my right hand upon the RCA Transmitter Of Glory, I do hereby adopt and sponsor you into the KAAY Family Of The Air, with all rights, respect and privileges appertaining thereunto, should they ever materialize. Witness my ham and steel on this Second Day of August, Two Thousand Eleven, it now being Dang Near The Fiftieth Year Since The Baby Elephant Walked. So help me, Clyde.

Very Truly Yours,

David B. Treadway
Doc Holiday VII
The Last P.D.
Etc., etc."

By gosh, when I got this in the mail, I was moved to tears...you have to know David B., he has a heart as gold, as big as Arkansas doubled.

I have struggled with different backgrounds, different lighting, different flashes and I can only get an almost-in-focus picture. The only thing I haven't done is get my old Pentax K1000 SLR and went though the lengthy process of transferring film to digital. Nonetheless, here is the best picture I could muster under many conditions. The only thing I haven't tried is natural light...maybe I should? I must apologize, I couldn't do it justice. I'll try for a better picture later, but I did NOT want to delay it any longer...here is The Belt Buckle:

(enhanced by Jim Cleveland- thanks!)

Thank you, David, from the bottom of my heart!

Bud S. (staceys4@hotmail.com)