The Discovery Channel phoned because they were doing a segment on strange and or outrageous wills.* Could we do some photos of the fender for them. Sure. I took some shots and sent them a copy of the case report in the 1948 Canadian Bar Review vol. 26. But the glare off the glass was too much for them. More photos please. More photos were taken. Contact info to the professional who had taken a shot for the On Campus News was offered. Nope. Could the case be opened? Sure, we’ll just find the key…..key? What key? The key to what? Who would have that key? Try this key? No? This one? No? The Discovery Channel offered to pay to have the case broken into. As no key continued to be found the break in was arranged. Facilities Management sent their experts, the case was taken into the Head Librarian's office, and behind closed doors, shhhh it’s a library, the case was opened and a new lock installed. The fender was removed briefly and thoroughly photographed.
Oh, that key.
Then Discovery Channel asked if we knew anything else about Mr. Harris. And I was off. For years I had seen the fender as everyone else had seen the fender, as evidence, as a noteworthy case in estate law, but as to the person who had actually lain trapped under the tractor all those years ago, breathing through the pain, scrabbling to get his knife out of his pocket and scratching those words into the side of his tractor? He had disappeared. I set out to find out what I could about him.
*I don't know what title they decided on in the end, or even if a show was finally produced on the subject.
You can see why Discovery Channel didn't want my poor little photos.
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