Tractor Trauma

It's a beautiful day outside and for some strange reason that makes me think back to the time when we were first married. I was a "townie" having been raised in town. However I was raised by a father that always loved farming, even though circumstances prevented him from being a farmer. That meant I had a rosy glow about life on the farm, even before I had experience to back it up.

The first farm we lived on was a pretty little farm we rented in Breckinridge Co. Hubby and I both worked, he in a lending agency for farmers and me as a home economics teacher at the local high school. After work we would rush home and happily do chores and odd jobs about the farm. During those first years of marriage a girl will throw herself into anything to please her hubby and I was no exception. I didn't know a lot about farming but I was willing to try anything.

The problem was hubby knew about farming but he didn't know much about girls (2 brothers, no sisters) . He also lacked a little in management styles and communication skills. It seems that growing up most of their training in farm management and communication came from their father. Now, don't get me wrong, he was a wonderful man and I came to love him dearly. However, he was of the opinion that orders were his to give and others to follow. He also thought that volume had a lot to do with prompt accomplishment. It other words he was a loud dictator when it came to farming. Hubby tended to follow his style. This didn't work too well on a girl, who was willing enough but not too inclined to subservience.

Things kind of came to a head one evening when we were a little late getting the barn chores done. Hubby wanted to feed the cattle in the back field some hay bales and recruited me to drive the tractor. All was pleasant as we drove to the back with our wagon of hay bales. When we got to the spot, he left me to drive slowly along while he broke open the hay bales and scattered it out for the cows. I hadn't gone 10 feet when I heard a shout from the back, "Speed up!!" I eased the tractor up a little, then heard another shout, "Slow DOWN...you're going too FAST!". I slowed as I heard another shout, "Watch out for the dip ahead!" I did my best to ease past the dip but heard another bellow from the back "I SAID WATCH IT....YOU ABOUT THREW ME OFF!!!" These orders were followed by "Go more to the right!" "Go faster", "Go more to the left" . Finally in frustration he yelled "Can't you HEAR ME!?"

That did it. I slammed on the brake, turned off the tractor and got down. "What are you doing?" he demanded. I just looked at him and started walking. "I'm going to the house. I obviously am too dumb to drive a tractor and am just creating more trouble than it's worth. So I'm going to the house and do something I know how to do, like cook!" With that I flounced across the field.

I never did figure out how he fed the rest of the cattle from the back of the wagon and drove at the same time. However, in time he did learn that asking works better than yelling!