Insights from Bill

Opinion? Everybody has one

You fellers know that feeling when you figure you aren’t ever gonna make a dent in the work you have started - things like digging a water line in rock on June the 24th with the sun doing its job on your head, hauling in bales of hay that are so many you can’t count them without losing track, and visiting with your close relative’s cousin from New York City. Thank the good Lord, I was hauling in hay, but I thought it would never end. That was yesterday and today is not much better.

The old hay truck sputters and coughs like it is on its last legs, which it is, but I can’t see any way to replace it right now. It has springs in the seat and they all hurt your south end after sitting a few minutes. The old plastic on the dash is getting crumbly. I tried to turn the radio on to tune in the weather this morning and the knob just sorta turned to plastic dust in my fingers.

I do not remember being so dang uncomfortable in the old vehicle in the years past. The male offspring do the mowing,raking and baling, so all I am required to do is haul and now I hate even that job. I’ve been trying to remember the years my close relative and I did all this by ourselves and then some. We did not have so many fields, not so many cattle and not so many aches and pains back then.

And, even if I hate to admit it, I could be used to comforts that were not available when we started this outfit. My truck can do all I ask, but I’ve been thinking it needs a little water spigot where I could get a cold drink on demand. My close relative’s car has air conditioned seats and I certainly would like that too. Just the thought of that caused me to wince as I bounced along the field for the thirtieth timetoday.

Springs, things that take much of the bounce out of a vehicle, might help the old truck. I just hate to put any money into it. Filling the tank with fuel brings on a party at OPEC headquarters. I do intend to put a pillow on the seat the first chance I get and remember to do so. But, and I am grateful, the hayis great. We have had no army worms, dang few thistles, days good for drying and the baler has worked pretty good.

One of the cows that slipped a calf last fall has finally delivered a baby. I should have sent her to the golden arches but she raised a good calf last year and that is a quote. I found her and the calf in a little bunch of brush and, of course, she didn’t have him cleaned up well enough. I got him in the truck and she followed to the barn.

It is my opinion - and everyone has one - I would rather work in the hay field without comforts than clean up a calf that the flies have been on. I have learned another lesson today, one that should have stuck in my mind years ago. Do not deliver calves in hot weather and, if you do, be dang sure the mammy cleans them good!

Well, hope you all have a good week. At least the snow isn’t flying!

-Bill

Bill is a pen name used by the Gravette author of this weekly column.

Opinion, Pages 5 on 06/30/2010