In 1967 my Dad, Johnny Calley, wanted to buy a service station in Gurdon, Arkansas.  The bank however wouldn’t loan him the money.  My grandparents put their house up to get the money and my grandfather quit his job and went to work at the station to make sure they didn’t lose their home.

55 years later my Dad is still in business at the same location!

In 1972, 5 years after Calley’s Station opened, the note at the bank had been paid and my grandfather purchased the first new vehicle he had ever owned.  A 1972 F100 long wheel base that was two tone green with a 360 engine.  It was the truck that I learned to drive in.  My grandfather passed away in 1981 and left to truck to my Dad.  When I turned 16, my Dad gave it to me and I drove it during high school.

The 72 was driven sparingly after I graduated in ’87 and it sat in storage until 1999.  My Dad and I decided it was time to get it out, tune it up and start driving it again.  It was at the Station for a few weeks while repairs were being done but it was left outside and it was stolen.  My Dad reported it to the police but we thought there was little hope of ever seeing it again.

About a year later, Dad received a call from the Kentucky State Police and they had found my truck!  It was a daily driver for an ex-con in Lexington, KY and the police knew it had to be stolen.  It was too good to be true.  When we went to get it, she looked exactly the same.  We were thrilled to get her back!