A neighbor of mine offered to sell me his Cub Cadet lawnmower, at a price so cheap it set my suspicious mind to wondering what was wrong with the thing. It was the 1220 model with the hydrostatic transmission, and I had seen him using it earlier in the week, so I knew it was functional.

Why would you want to sell that? I asked him.

Doctors order, he says.

Before there were Cub Cadet lawnmowers...

Say what? Well, seems he needs more exercise, so his doctor suggested he get off his duff and do some work around the house. He decided to sell his perfectly good riding mower, and get a push mower instead. With a quarter-acre lot there was never any great need for the rider anyhow.

He had seen me out following my Cub Cadet 98M mower around my slightly larger yard, and figured it looked like good exercise, but not strenuous enough for him. So he didn’t want to trade, even though we both happen to own Cub Cadet lawnmowers, he just wanted to sell me the rider outright so he could buy a basic push model.

I suggested maybe he should get one without a mulching option and then he could have the added joy of raking. He considered it seriously, even though I was joking. No, he said, that wouldn’t be good for the lawn. Need those mulched up cuttings to fertilize the continued growth.

In the end I passed on the opportunity, I need my exercise too. I mentioned it to another friend though, and he had never even heard of Cub Cadet lawnmowers. He doesn’t get out much. But he does have nearly an acre of lawn, and his old John Deere lawn mower looks like it is about ready to give up the ghost any minute. I asked him if he never heard of Home Depot. Yeah, he said, just never pay much attention to brand names. Sheesh!

So I assured him that Cub Cadet lawn mowers were among the best, and suggested that even this used one would probably outlast him. He didn’t appreciate that much. He ended up buying it anyway, like I said the price was a real bargain.