At 4 pm sharp, Ray Somers asked if I would like the "10 minutes away" from their "electronic museum" video in the back of Somer in downtown Logan.
"Do not write that," chided the old man as I started taking notes on the collection of antique radios, computers, pianos and all mail that has accumulated over 66 years living in Logan. "Just listen to the story. You may ask questions later."
Thus begins the story Somers, looking through a pair of heavy frames that slip through the nose while speaking. Repeatedly postponed the questions, crawling through a museum with a well-worn brown hat that never goes out of his head.
Somers like stories. As we make our way to the altar for the first time in the crowded room with about 500 pieces of electrical history, launches into a story after another. Radios large wooden floors, smaller stacked on top of the shelves of electronics and stacked to the ceiling 15 feet up to listen, as they always have, to their stories.
She pauses periodically to each claim of "this is the first ..." or "this is the oldest ..." sink, but never enough time to respond appropriately or make a follow up question.
Finally relents and lets me write some of it down.
Tour begins 10 minutes to draw a timeline of the evolution of wire reel to reel recorders along a wall. I pulled the arm of a row of "the big three video games" - the original arcade version of Space Invaders, Donkey Kong Jr. and asteroids.
He pulls out a blue tube seven inches long, says it is an ancient record, put it in a black cylinder phonograph in 1900 and the switch. But Somers only allows playback of music from the old days of 15 seconds or less - there are more treasures to explain and we are eating the promised 10 minutes fast.
So we moved to a Victor phonograph that had a purchase price of $ 1,500 in 1927. The following is a solid wood cabinet, labeled "Duesenberg," which Somers called "the largest, finest radio ever made." He then points to a shelf that has the same kind of radio that received the SOS call from a sinking of the Titanic in 1912.
"Now that is history," he said, almost at the same time I realize the idea of getting through the display at 10 minutes is also lost in the past. "There are pieces here can not beg, borrow or steal anywhere."
The Somers, 86 years old, is the story, too. He is a collector, historian, writer, a man Fix-It, a businessman and personality Cache Valley.
Logan in 1937 led to a Ford Model-T. The plan was to attend the Agricultural College of Utah, but a year later he had a radio repair shop installed on Center Street. He bought a collection of records in 1940, and has targeted sales offer, auction of goods and everything else, since to find parts to repair or remodel. Then he bought the building at 70 video Somer St. W. Center in 1947, and the back room eventually became the home of the collection.
It is the only issue that far from giving Somers the history lesson. The building of the video store sold in June, and while the collection is still intact in the room behind a sliding glass door at the rear of the building, there is no guarantee that it will stay there.
"How long can we stay, do not know," Somers said of the sale agreement that does not have a period of time to move your pet project.
He wants the pieces to be together as a collection, but knows he can not find or buy a new house large enough for them. Logan laments that the city has no museum to hold the parts, I would donate. And it gets sloppy look to the future, because he is happy to have built the museum, but it is sad that more people do not share the place that gives you joy Somers.
"The time is now reality," said Somers, and then repeats the cryptic statement about the future uncertain for emphasis.
Finally make it through four aisles of equipment, from 1920 to the old radios penny slot machines in stores in northern Utah general to an Apple computer since 1985. It's fun, and tiring to listen to endless stories that mix radio experience, knowledge of Cache Valley and the experiences of 86 years on Earth. I thank Somers for their time, they need to be started after receiving more than the 10 minutes that was originally offered.
"One more story?" He asks, my left foot and at the door.