Friday, January 22, 2010

Life on the farm in 1996 for Budd E. Shepherd


I was looking through some back issues of the little paper I used to write. I found this story from 1996. It is hard to believe that was so long ago.
Hay baling season was off to a grand start with two new employees.
"Pinky and Pookie" who are not really twins came to work at the farm. One might say that the daring duo brought certain something to the other wise bland existence of the farm. The excitement started early in the season when the hay crew moved up to Gopher Valley.
Pookie, otherwise known as Luke, piloted one Haybine while Farmer Dave piloted the other. Pinkie (Rick) was the flagger.
This was all fine except Pinkie really likes to drive on the wrong side of the road. Also Pookie was stuck with the spare tractor, a 1964 Moline M670, whose power adjust wheels were significantly miss-adjusted which caused the tractor to pitch wildly from side to side.
Gopher Valley road is a narrow winding road which heads off into the hills. Everyone seems to live somewhere at the end of the road and they are all apparently related to A.J. Foyt. They see every trip as an opportunity to break the world speed record and will come hurtling by you at warp speed. Strangely enough most of them are also quite friendly and wave happily at you as your tractor bounces through the ditch.
The farm's entourage of hay harvesting implements soon picked up an following. This occurred right after Pinkie set off a handful of smoke bombs in the middle of the highway. One of the cars just happened to be a county Sheriff. Farmer Dave was able to run over the pyrotechnics and snuff out the smoke before attracting the attention of the law.
The other car was a beat up old Ford LTD. It was as big as a small house and piloted by a big lady, the local trailer house trash of Gopher Valley. She had it packed full of snotty-nosed little brats and dirty laundry.
The traveling hay circus came to the one straight section of road and since they are courteous farmers they pulled off the road. The lady wouldn't pass.
Pookie made really descriptive gestures indicating that she should pull on around. She made equally descriptive gestures indicating there was a police officer. Pookie made a gesture indicating she was an idiot. David drove on.
The Policeman got tired of driving 15 mph and turned around. The Ford LTD then rocketed around the entourage on a corner between two hills. She waved at every one as she went by. Everyone waved back!
It was the beginning of a long summer.
I can't find the rest of the story. They got in so much trouble. But we really got a lot done.

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