This past January, my old truck Bessie and I had quite the adventure. Now Bessie is a 4X4 Chevy ¾ ton extend cab, long bed truck. Yep, she's quite a gal and heavy duty. We had gotten lots of rain, and the ground was really soft and slick here on the farm. I was driving Bessie up on the ridge, to put hay out for the horses. Hubby was with me, and the plan was that he would open the gate. I would drive through and go down the ridge a bit, then turn around and head back toward the gate. He would get in the bed of the truck and cut the bales open, then toss out piles of hay as I drove slowly toward the gate.
Well, that was the plan.
Reality has a way of spoiling a person's agenda. For you see, while I was trying to turn around, Bessie started sliding down the side of the ridge, sideways. Of course it would have to be toward one of the steepest sides of the hill. Even in four wheel drive ole Bessie continued to slip forward down the hill. At first I was scared out of my wits because we were sliding directly toward a cluster of trees on a really steep incline. I didn't know what to do so I just stepped on the brakes and prayed we wouldn't slip any further.
About that time my hubby arrived and, brilliant man that he is, he steps in front of Bessie and says: "Floor it while I push!" (ok, a little side note here: I'd been fighting the urge to clobber him all morning. Do you see the irony?) I've been married to this man for 29 years, and he really is quite intelligent. I have no idea what happened that day, and he is still convinced it was a good idea. Yet, he got really peeved that I wouldn't allow him to stand down hill, in front of Bessie, while I floored it in reverse.
I finally had to bull-up and refuse to do as he asked. I told him I would only floor it if he would move to the front fender and out from in front of Bessie. I explained that at least that way if we started to slide again, we wouldn't run him over. He finally consented and moved to the driver's side, to try and push the front end down hill. On his cue I floored it. Unfortunately when the front tire started spinning he got a face full of mud. He turned his face toward me, then glared at me through the windshield while spitting mud out of his mouth. (another side note - I don't care who you are - that's funny! Well it is, unless you were my husband). When we got Bessie's nose headed down hill, I had no choice but to stay off the brakes and let her bounce and fly to the bottom. It would have been a whole lot more fun if I wouldn't have been so scared at the time. Once the fear of death passed and I made it to the bottom safely without hitting any trees on the way, I thought it was a lot of fun. In fact, I almost wish I could do it again!
Oh, the horses did get their hay that day, at the bottom of the hill. It took them a few minutes to notice where their dinner had gone, but they all came running once they figured it out.
We did get Bessie out of the pasture too, but I had to take the low road through the hay field. I tried without success to get back up the hill about 4 times. Each time I only got about half way up before losing traction.
If you are wondering what happened to my hubby, he was all right. Once he saw that Bessie and I had made it safely down the hill, he went to get the tractor to try and pull us back up it. I'm thankful it wouldn't start that day. If it would have, this story might not have ended so well. I don't think even our John Deere could have gotten Bessie safely back up that slick hill.
Well, that's my tale for this edition. I'll see you next month for more Farm Tales. God bless! |
