This morning we saw several dozen tractors quickly chug past mom’s house. No plows, discs, corn pickers, etc. were behind them, which made sense because it’s not planting or quite yet harvest time. But where were all the tractors going? Later, when I made a quick trip to town, I saw a sign with the words “tractor poker run” and an arrow pointing down mom’s road.
In a poker run, instead of sitting at a table and having cards dealt to you, you travel to various locations to draw a card. I only know that because Jim told me. But a tractor poker run?
Apparently the local FFA (Future Farmers of America) alumni sponsored the event. Twenty-eight tractor owners registered; the run began and ended at the county fair grounds and stopped at five farms.
Poor Jim. He called the red and black tractors Cases; mom and I immediately corrected him, letting him know those are made by International Harvester.
Proposal for next week: a motor home poker run.
I am sure that all the husbands reading your post could feel Jim's pain. And then, of course, we shake our heads and mumble to ourselves, "Rookie Error". Jim astounded you with his rural knowledge regarding tractor poker. This clearly impressed you, showing that he had evolved significantly in his understanding of the rural Midwestern life that has been so important in forming your personality. (Though, I do suspect that his knowledge of gambling, from less wholesome experiences, aided significantly in his understanding of the tractor game being played.) Nonetheless, Jim had impressed the Love of His Life, and he should have given himself a mental high-five, grabbed a beer, spent the rest of the day watching whatever mundane sporting event was on television and counting the day as a big WIN. No, Jim wanted more, and that is where he erred. He lost all the adoration that you were ready to heap upon him with a four letter word, “Case”. Oh what special Hell is it, in which both your wife and your mother-in-law correct you in the manly skill of identifying heavy equipment.
ReplyDeleteJim says I owe him a full retraction. After some research, it appears that Case merged with other companies and now actually do use the colors red and black. Oh well.
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