GRAVETTE — A bald-headed man will, at times, try to do a comb-over to hide the glistening scalp that picks up every little bit of light. Some fellers just refuse to remove their hats to make us all think they have a full mane. A few of the hairless ones even wear the so-called rugs to cover the patch of hide. And, some of us just don’t care!

My hay business is sorta like the bald man this year. I have a couple of fields that have started turning brown and some Bermuda grass that hasn’t even started good as of today. I did the mowing and, of course, the offspring didn’t agree with my methods, but I spot cut in a couple of the fields. I knew some hadn’t come on good, but this warm spring and now the lack of rain has made this a puzzle for the hayingtime.

The cattle are fat that are gonna get fat and the thin ones must be wormy or have some other problem. Some of the cows haven’tshed their winter hair, and I think I will cull them this year. What causes that is a mystery to me and my brilliant veterinarian. Maybe, if we could make a vaccine from the hairy cattle and give injections to the hairless men, we could become wealthy and retire to a villa in Italy. But that could backfire, and we might be looking for a way to cure the fellers who want to eat hay and lick salt blocks! Never mind that idea!

We are waiting for the hay to dry this morning so we can rake what we have cut and get it up. I won’t do anything but check cows and drink some coffee today. The offspring are off me like a dirty shirt because of the sporadic mowing yesterday. My close relative just pursed her lips and raised one eyebrow when the storywas related over coffee and cookies at the table early this morning. She seems to always side with the male offspring, leaves me out in the cold.

I walked to the mailbox to put in her mail this morning and was there when the man came by. He seldom talks much, always in a hurry and a lot of mail to deliver. But this morning, I suppose seeing me afoot and being early, he killed his little wagon and set in to visiting. We talked about the usual stuff, weather, his president, and then the conversation turned ugly. He took off his hat, rubbed his hand through his sparse hair and asked me why in the world would any man mow hay like he saw up in the corner field. He added that he didn’t know who had that place leased but they sure didn’t know much about mowing hay! I said I had to get busy and walked back to the house.

It is my opinion, and everyone has one, it just won’t do to try to explain your superb ideas to all who inquire. Each mind is a tad different, and some just can’t grasp the importance of all an experienced cattleman does to make progress. I am on my way to town, ain’t gonna talk about haying or try to explain anything to anyone!

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

Opinion, Pages 6 on 05/23/2012