The Bell began its career in 1938 at the Ardmore Public Library in South Dakota when Miss Lydia Edmons acquired it for patrons to get her attention when she was in the back workroom. The Bell served this role faithfully until 1974 when the Library was closed due to the dwindling population in the town. Roger Edmons, Miss Lydia’s grand nephew, kept the Bell in her memory, and displayed it on his desk at his insurance agency office in Hot Springs, South Dakota, where his father had relocated when it became clear that Ardmore was in decline.
When Roger retired in 1998, fed up with the bleak winters, he moved with his wife Susan to Cave Creek, Arizona. They sold nearly everything they had, including the Bell, which was picked up by Ginny Albertson, an interior designer for bistros, diners, and boutique shops.
The Bell sat in a storage facility for several months, before eventually being placed on the counter of the Sloppy Joe’s Inn, located on US-301 near Port Royal, Virginia. It was still there on [redacted date] when Billy Flynn stopped in for a cup of coffee and a slice of pie. Some days later, a few regular patrons noticed the Bell was no longer on the counter. It wasn’t missed all that much, since no one bothered to use it.
The Bell has been happily ringing endorsements for Geek Radio Daily and other fine websites ever since.
(bio by awesome fan by Anna Creech!)
