As I watch the many tractors, rakes and other machinery work their way across the fields creating hay bales to feed their cattle or horses, I remember the first time I was asked to rake while grumpy came back behind me to roll the bales.
He said as long I could drive a car with a standard transmission, I would be able to use the small blue tractor with the rake behind me to help him that long ago summer day.
I thought nothing to it, since I can do most anything thrown my way; I am not afraid to do anything, but was not counting on the old tractor not having brakes, with the transmission so old it could not make up its mind to either go forward or backward; it was a catastrophe in the making.
I assaulted the chore with the enthusiasm of a 16-year-old driving her first car; of course I was not told first gear was just not working properly so I needed to take my time and start on second gear, then fifth and go faster than the tractor as not to stay behind and make grumpy wait for the little mounds of hay to be formed.
There was this small hill I needed to rake and the ground was so saturated by rain, the small tractor slid sideways with me at the wheel and no notion on how to stop it; the brakes did not work, as he later reminded me. I slid and slid and try to stop the slide to no avail. Eventually by standing on both the pedals the tractor finally stopped.
My heart was racing, I knew I had done something wrong, but for the life of me, could not seem to gather the reason how or why. I was in the ditch unable to go forth or back. Eventually he felt sorry for me and after bouts of laughter, he brought the big tractor and with a chain got me out of the ditch. He loves to retell the story to whoever wants to laugh on my account.
OK, so I’m not a farm girl, I’m a city girl who went to school to learn how to change money from country to country; what do I know of raking?
The second time was not any better; he wanted me to go to the neighbors’ field and rake their hay while he came on back and gather the bales. Good thinking, the neighbors’ gate was not wide enough to get the small blue tractor with the rake on the back, so naturally, I drove right through trees, gates, and anything in my way. I learned if the field is straight, I can do wonders with the rake, but if I have to turn any which way, there goes the fences, the trees, shrubs or anything standing in my way.
I’m so happy he finally sold the tractor, the rake and all other equipment which caused me so many headaches just thinking of spending the time with the mosquitoes and other flying insects entering my mouth and nose while driving on the fields.
But I miss the time alone with my thoughts, driving the old blue tractor on the fields in the summer while enjoying the sun, the breeze or just the heat. I miss the old blue tractor.