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5OCTOBER2013ranchinUtahandneedsaranchhandsoImgoingtoUtahtomorrow.BeingacowboyhadalwaysbeenCharliesdreamandhisroommatewasntgoingwithouthim.TheypickedupthephonecalledhisunclewhosaidCharliecouldcometooandthatwasthat.Charliewentfromcooktocowboyovernight.Nowhehadnoideawhathewasdoingwhenhegottherebuthedidntcare.Helearnedquicklyfromtheyoungteenageranchhandswhoshowedhimtheropesandafewdayslaterhewaswranglinghorses.Itwasabeautifulranchinthemountainsherecalls.ThentheydiscoveredIcouldcooksoIbecamethecookforthecrewaswell.CharlieworkedonthisranchforthenextfewyearsuntiltheopportunitytoworkonaranchinMontanacameupandoffhewentthenontoOregonin1976toworkwithalargecattleandwheatoperation.YupCharliehadbecomeaprofessionalcowboyandlovedthelife.Butitwasalongthewaythathebecamefascinatedwithantiquetack.Hebeganreadingfuriouslyandlearningeverythinghecouldaboutit.HerecallsatthetimethatTheMaineAntiqueDigestandtheAntiqueTraderwerehisfavoritepublicationsandwouldreadthemcovertocoverwhenhissubscriptionarrived.ItalsomadehimwonderWhowerethesepeoplebuyingandsellingandcollectingacrossthecountryAndwithinshortorderhejumpedin.Bynowhehadamassedquiteacollectionofhisownanddecidedhewouldrunsomeadsandseewhathappened.WellwhathappenednextwasCharlietheCowboybecameCharlietheAntiquesDealer.ThiswasalsowhenhemethiswifeKarlawhomhemarriedin1977.Togethertheybecamequiteanunstoppableteam.HecreditsKarlawithbeinginstrumentalindevelopingtheirbusiness.ShewasanamazinglytalentedsewerwhocouldcreatejacketsandcoatsfromIndianblanketsandPendletonblanketsthelikesofwhichnoonehadseen.ShewasalsoabletoexpertlyrepairNavajoblankets.SonowbusinessisthrivingandCharlieisbuyingandsellinghisWesternantiqueswithcustomersacrossthecountryandseveralinEuropewhichreallysurprisedhim.Hepausestointerjectasidebarherethatevenonthephoneyoucanseeandfeelhisexcitementandhisprideinrelayingthestory.Ihavetotellyouthatin1980mydaughterKarliewasborn.In1998whenshewenttocollegeshewasawardedtheveryfirstNBSSCAScholarshipWeweresoproudandsoexcited.WhatmostdontknowisshewentontobecomeaLoanOfficerwiththeOregonDepartmentofAgriculturethepositionshestillholdstoday.Sheshelpingfarmersandranchersandthatmakesmefeelreallygood.OkaybacktoCharlieandits1984.Hehisbuyingandsellingfuriouslyatgunshowsandantiqueshowsnumberingabout40ayearandcrisscrossingthecountry.ItwasaboutthistimethathewasatagunshowinLosAngeleswherehewasscheduledtomeetwithoneofhisTexascustomersPaulStuckey.Charliehadseveralbridlesandhorsehairbeltsthathehopedtosellhim.HesoldStuckeyaboutsixandthenLindaandJosephshowedup.LindatookoneofthebeltswhichCharlierecallshefiguredhewouldneversellbecauseitwassobigandwrappeditaroundherwaisttwiceitfitperfectandsheboughtit.Thisbeltwouldbecomemoreinterestingastimewentonsofollowmehere.NowCharlieisbackinTacomaWAhometoaratherrenownedglassartistnameDaleChihulywhowasanavidcollectorofIndianblanketsandCharliehadsoldhimseveral.ThenheaskedhimtofindaparticularhorsehairbeltthathewaslookingforandCharlieknewitwasexactlyliketheonehehadsoldtoLindaSherwoodbackin1984.ButhecouldntfindanotheronebutChihulygotthebelthewantedwhenLindagotwindhewaslookingfortheoneshehad.Charlieremembersthiswithagreatlaugh.ChihulygotthebeltLindagotChihulyglasswhichhesquitesureshestillhasandIgotnothingmuchlessanypieceofChihulyglass.Butwhathedidgetfromthiswasgreatmemoriesofhowhislife-longfriendshipwithLindaandJosephandtheHighNoonfamilycametobe.YesCharlieLindaJosephstillhavethepieceofChihulyglassintheirhomeNowbacktoCharlieandhisever-broadeningantiquesbusiness.Hefoundcrisscrossingthecountrycontinuedonpage6