Thursday, April 19, 2012

Please Tell Me I Didn't...


When Monday rolls around, we are heading out for the feedstore/town run.  This routine with its predictability is one of the constants that I truly appreciate about our life. I just looked back, I’ve written about Mondays before.
 here         ...and here...
When the Spring planting season starts, I take on the task of the town run alone.  This leaves the Boss to till and do prep work with the tractor. Then, we can work together when I get home.  The trip is almost always the same.  Feedstore, bank, Lowes, groceries, farmstore, gas station…

A couple of weeks ago, I headed out fairly early. I had an extra errand to run and it was imperative that I finish my stops quickly, get back, unload and then the Boss and I were heading out together for another stop.  Then, we would come back and get another big planting job finished.

As I drove into town, I was enjoying the trip.  It was quite warm, so I had the windows down and the radio up.  The neighboring farmers were beginning to work outside, so there were new activities to observe and plenty of folks to wave at.

I made great time on my trip, got everything I needed, a few things I really wanted…and even found a couple of great deals!  Then it happened…

As I loaded the groceries in the truck, I noticed that the little “lock-doolie” on the passenger side was loose.  It was actually falling off.  It must be noted that the pick-up has more than a few issues as it is 15 years old and has spent a good portion of that time being a “farm truck”.  The facts that the dashboard is cracked and the gas gauge only works on occasion are just two of its “quirks”.  As I wiggled the little thing back in place, I heard a clunk.

I didn’t give it much thought and swung the door shut with the intention of walking around, hopping in the driver’s seat and finishing up my trip. I had one final stop to make before I could head for home.
But, that clunk meant that the door locked…it meant both doors locked.  No worries…my keys are…my keys are NOT in my pocket!  My keys are…

the disturbing sight...re-created for effect
ON THE SEAT!  …along with my wallet! ...and my PHONE! …and horror of horrors…my mountain dew! No, I couldn’t have locked everything in the hot cab of the truck! Please, please tell me I didn’t lock myself OUT and my stuff IN.   Surely, I could get inside.  I pulled on the door handle again and again.  Just what this was supposed to do I don’t know…but, it didn’t work!

I had left the windows down slightly since I had purchased some plants and wanted to allow them some air.  But, the window opening was too small for my arm.  I walked back in the store, hoping for a phone and maybe a hanger.  The only hanger was plastic and too flimsy and short to reach the “lock-doolie” that started the whole thing.  The phones in the store couldn’t make outside calls…and I had no money for a payphone.  I was getting more than a little perturbed.

I climbed up in the back of the truck, crawling over the half ton of feed, hoping I could slip the blade of my Leatherman between the back windows and pop the latch.  That didn’t work either, and I realized that my activity might be deemed “more than slightly suspicious” by somebody.

I headed back into the store to find someone who could make a phonecall for me.  As an aside here, I think this was the ONLY time I have ever been to town and seen NO ONE that I know…no one that could help me with the current problem. Ordinarily, a trip to town means I see half of my acquaintances and have to stop and talk for a while.

The lady at the bank kindly called the Boss.  I worried he wouldn’t answer his phone because of the odd number.  He answered, he sighed deeply, yes,…he would head to town to rescue me. I thanked the bank lady and she said, “hope your day gets better, sweetie!”

I went back outside and sat on the curb by the truck, mourning the fact that my drink was inSIDE the truck and there was absolutely no shade. I hoped the groceries would stay cold and the plants would not dry out.  The Boss arrived a short time later and opened the door. That was SO anti-climactic!  Now it was lunchtime, the rhythm of the day shot to pieces, so he suggested we go out to eat.  He seemed to enjoy it, although I was too frustrated to appreciate it at all.

Finally, we got the feed back home and unloaded.  But, we had to go back to town for the other errand. That meant that the rest of the “to-do” list for Monday would have to be done on Tuesday, and some of Tuesday’s work would be moved to Wednesday….and so on.

It took three days to get things back on track.

Lessons learned? 

In the future, DO NOT worry about the “little lock doolie” on the farm truck!
                                      Keep keys in pocket!
                                                       ….and hot Mountain Dew is not worth drinking.


**just a note…this week’s trip was successful AND uneventful!

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