Post-Apocalyptic Lawncare.

Remember the Y2K hype? It's easy to look back now at how silly the whole episode was, but some people were genuinely frightened.

And others were more than happy to capitalize on that fear.

Which brings us to the fall of 1999. I am driving south of Viola, Arkansas, for no particular reason. It is the weekend and I am farting around in my car, doing nothing of import.

On the left side of the road, I see one of those little perpetual yard sales. You know the kind -- the ones that are actually a mini flea market but get out of buying a business license by calling themselves a yard sale.

I stop and piddle around a bit.

At the end of one of the rows of "merchandise," I see it.

It is an ancient Sears push-reel mower. The handle is almost-rotten wood and the rest of it, except the "tires", seems to be iron. Heavy as f*ck.

I push it a little. It works.

A price tag hangs from the handle. On one side, it says "$15.00."

On the other, it says "Y2K Compliant."

I laugh to myself.

After the apocalypse, I doubt lawncare will be much of a priority.

It's so absurd I HAVE to buy it.

I mowed half my backyard with it this morning. I still haven't replaced the handle.

Gas is $2.879 per gallon locally.

Take that, fearmongering yardsaler.