John Hung Up His Branding Iron

What a surprise! He gave his spare branding iron to his son. It is a simple J O with no connections. A brand has to be registered at the court house every so many years and it states where the brand is located on the animal. JO right hip, XXX left hip. If a rancher doesn't register their brand it can be taken by someone else. John's son has the same name so he will probably use it when John is gone. His original branding iron was borrowed several years ago from me by a preacher's son whom John knew well. He called and ask me to sneak it out and leave it on the back seat of the car and he would stop by to pick it up because he wanted to make John a clock with his brand on it. Months went by and no clock and no returned branding iron so I had to fess up to John. When I heard the preacher's son was moving out of town I called him to ask that he return the iron. He didn't. John didn't get upset but I am. What is he doing with it? He lives in another county, is he using it? Did he lose it, or is he that laxing in manners? Anyway John branded his two new Brangus bulls before handing it over to his son.