Okay, so I wanted to share something I went through recently. It started because I had this old piece of gear, something I really rely on, and it just gave up the ghost. You know how it is, things just break down. My usual go-to guy for fixing stuff like this, well, he decided to hang up his tools for good. Left me in a real bind.
I spent a few days asking around, calling folks, trying to find someone who could handle this specific kind of repair. It wasn’t looking good. Most places just wanted to sell me something new, which wasn’t what I wanted at all. Then, I was chatting with an old timer down at the market, telling him my troubles. He thought for a minute, chewed on it, and then said, “You know who might be able to help? There’s a fella, Jackson Watts, out in Gardnerville, NV. Heard he was real good with this sort of thing.”
Gardnerville. Okay, I knew where that was. Bit of a drive, but if this guy Watts could fix my gear, it’d be worth it. Didn’t have a phone number, just the name and the town. Figured I’d just head out there one morning and try my luck asking around. Sometimes that’s the only way, right? Just show up.
Making the trip
So, I got up early the next Tuesday, filled the truck with gas, and drove out towards Gardnerville. It’s a pretty straightforward drive, scenery’s nice. Got into town mid-morning. It’s one of those quiet places, you know? People seem to know each other. Felt kinda hopeful.
First stop, the main hardware store. Seemed like the logical place. Went inside, found a guy who looked like he’d been there a while. I asked him, “Excuse me, I’m looking for a Jackson Watts? Heard he might live around here?” The fella leaned on the counter, thought for a second. “Jackson Watts… hmm. Yeah, I know the name. Used to be around quite a bit. Don’t see him much anymore though. Not sure if he’s still in Gardnerville, to be honest.” Well, that wasn’t exactly the solid lead I was hoping for.
Didn’t give up yet, though. I tried a couple other spots:
- Asked at the little diner on the corner.
- Checked in with the folks at the feed supply store.
- Even stopped a mail carrier I saw making rounds.
Got pretty much the same story everywhere. People kinda remembered the name Jackson Watts, often associated with being handy or fixing things, but nobody had seen him recently or knew for sure where he was or if he was even still working. It felt like I was maybe a few years too late.
Spent most of the day there, driving around, asking questions. Felt a bit like detective work, but without any clues panning out. By late afternoon, I had to accept I wasn’t going to find him this way. It was a bit disappointing, I gotta say. You get this name, this potential solution, and drive all the way out there…
So, I drove back home, the broken gear still sitting heavy in the back of my mind. The trip wasn’t a total waste, I guess. Got to see Gardnerville again. But it really highlighted something for me. Finding people with those old skills, those hands-on masters like this Jackson Watts was supposed to be, it’s getting really hard. Maybe he retired, maybe he moved on. Either way, felt like another one of those skills just fading away. Still haven’t found anyone to fix my gear properly. The search continues, but that day looking for Jackson Watts definitely stuck with me. Just one of those things.
