I was searching image.yahoo.com and found a picture of a newer (2007) 2 cycle commercial lawn-boy. Could it be they stopped selling the 2 stroke in the U.S. but continued to sell them in Canada? Might be worth becoming a Canadian citizen,,LOL.
I e-mailed Lawn-Boy (Toro), they said they stopped supplying retailers the 2 stroke the same time they stopped in the U.S., but they may have had a greater inventory of unsold mowers. Would your friend ship a late model L.B. Commercial model to Port Huron MI? I don't have a passport or enhanced drivers license
click on the green commercial lawnboy link,,,that mower looks just about brand new.