5 Minutes with Darwin West, West and Frey Auctioneers

HOMETOWN: Creston. I've been here since 1965

CURRENT EMPLOYMENT: An auctioneer and driving the school bus.

FAVORITE PART OF CRESTON: I don't have any certain parts. I got here where I live is the best part I guess and we got a nice place to do auctions and stuff. It works out good. There are a couple acres here, four acres here.

FAVORITE PART ABOUT BEING AN AUCTIONEER: I like 'em all. I guess I would say machinery was my biggest deal, biggest one to like. But, machinery and maybe guns and coins.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU DRIVEN THE SCHOOL BUS? I've driven the school bus, let's see I started in '86-'87. I subbed for four years and I've driven steady for going on 27. So, 31 years transporting kids around the country.

FAVORITE FLAVOR OF ICE CREAM: DQ vanilla. Pretty hard to beat that.

WORST CHRISTMAS GIFT YOU'VE EVER RECEIVED: Oh, I don't know what it would have been.

STRANGEST THING YOU"VE EVER AUCTIONED OFF: We did it up at the Catholic school gym. It's been probably 10-12 years ago. I can't even remember what it was. It was some kind of an artifact or high-powered antique of some kind. It was bought for $3,500. It wasn't very big it was just something strange, something unusual.

ALL TIME FAVORITE MOVIE: I don't go to movies. I'm not a moviegoer. I probably should be, but I don't know what it would be.

FAVORITE VACATION SPOT: I don't take that many vacations, either. I went to Las Vegas back in 1962 after I graduated and didn't get back there until 10-12 years ago. That was a neat place to be. I like to gamble every once in a while.

IF YOU HAD ONE EXTRA HOUR OF FREE TIME EACH DAY HOW WOULD YOU USE IT? Kind of burn the candle at both ends some days. I guess any time being around kids, whether that be grandkids, kids at home or on the school bus. I'd probably be talking to some little guy someplace I suppose.

HAVE YOU EVER GONE COW TIPPING? The whole cow? No, I have never had that. I've had some deals where you try to miss a cow pie and what have you, if you call that tipping I suppose. Other than that, my dad used to haul livestock years ago and I've been around livestock my whole life.