My Old GMC Pickup

    Back in 1987 my neighbor Kjell went up to the BC Government Auction at Prince George, and bought a ten year old GMC, 4 x 4, Forest Service pickup truck.  Kjell figured it would be just the thing for driving back the rough logging roads so he could hike or ski.  Being a generous fellow and good neighbor, Kjell  told me I was welcome to borrow the truck whenever I needed it.  As it turned out, I ended up needing it a lot.

    I had a growing herd of Angora Goats, and every summer I had to fill up my barn with bales of hay for the goats to eat during the winter.  So every year during haying season, I would borrow the truck and use it to make several trips back and forth from neighboring farms, hauling as many bales of hay as it could carry, stacked high in its box.    

    During those years I was also in the process of building a big addition onto our house, so I was constantly borrowing the truck to haul building supplies (lumber, dry wall, plywood, etc).  And let’s not forget all the firewood that I needed find and cut up, down rough logging roads and haul back to the house, so you can see, I was using Kjell’s truck, a lot.

    I did of course always fill it back up with gas, and one year, I even paid for the insurance for the truck.  Gradually it happened that I began using the truck more than Kjell. 

    One day, he approached me and said, “Dave, since you use the truck so much, why don’t you just buy it from me, and I will borrow it from you.”  I was happy to oblige, and the truck became mine.  

    Not only did the old 4 x 4 k become a much used workhorse for me, but also the subject for five of my paintings.  Below is the first painting I did of it, that remains one of my favorites.

    You can view my other paintings of the truck at:  davidmarchant2.ca