I was a typical boy. I loved my life growing up in Minnesota. My dad appreciated my mechanical ability. I remember the day a new tractor arived on the back of a big truck. It was a bright orange Alis-Chalmers WD 45 wide front tractor. The picture doesn't do it justice! The deliveryman backed it off the truck and left it running. My dad and this guy completed the paperwork, but as they headed to do this task, my dad turned to me and said I should go park the tractor beside the barn.
Holy Smoke! At the young age of seven or eight, this was big. Dad did not ask if I was up to the task or nuttin. He just, matter of factly, told me to park it. I contemplated it for a very short time, climbed up onto this amazing machine and parked it. I knew that I could do it just fine, but how could it be that my dad also knew this. Well, I made sure I lived up to the expectation.
But then there were the times that dad needed to correct me for something grevious. You knew he was onto your bad deeds before he spoke. The muscle in his jaw would start flexing. That always meant it was serious.
He would find a place to sit down and chat with you. Mind you, not the way you chat with your best friend, Duane. He would tell you about how amazing willow limbs are for their ability to strike something repeatedly. He would also tell how the dead willow limbs were worthless for striking many times. Eventually, he would get around to sending you to the slough, about a half mile away, to fetch a good willow switch. His parting words were always "think about why I need a good strong willow switch. Oh, and don't take too long!"
Man o'live, a kid could do a lot of thinkin in that mile round trip. I have tried and tried to remember if I was ever switched. I think not. If so, it was probably token. I sure remember the sober time I spent wondering how this would eventually play out. Thanks Dad!
KB
Holy Smoke! At the young age of seven or eight, this was big. Dad did not ask if I was up to the task or nuttin. He just, matter of factly, told me to park it. I contemplated it for a very short time, climbed up onto this amazing machine and parked it. I knew that I could do it just fine, but how could it be that my dad also knew this. Well, I made sure I lived up to the expectation.
But then there were the times that dad needed to correct me for something grevious. You knew he was onto your bad deeds before he spoke. The muscle in his jaw would start flexing. That always meant it was serious.
He would find a place to sit down and chat with you. Mind you, not the way you chat with your best friend, Duane. He would tell you about how amazing willow limbs are for their ability to strike something repeatedly. He would also tell how the dead willow limbs were worthless for striking many times. Eventually, he would get around to sending you to the slough, about a half mile away, to fetch a good willow switch. His parting words were always "think about why I need a good strong willow switch. Oh, and don't take too long!"
Man o'live, a kid could do a lot of thinkin in that mile round trip. I have tried and tried to remember if I was ever switched. I think not. If so, it was probably token. I sure remember the sober time I spent wondering how this would eventually play out. Thanks Dad!
KB
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