Friday, July 25, 2008

The Farmer's Wife

I thought how hard can it be! To be a farmer's wife that is. All I have to do is ride along on the tractor and look cute!, maybe open a few gates and feed the cute baby calves! Well, I wasn't so cute awhile back, actually I was down right mad! My husband had sent me to the local John Deere dealer to pick up some paper work he didn't have time to fetch himself but needed that day. So I got to be the go-fetch girl. I loaded the kiddos into the farm truck and away we went in the summer heat with the windows rolled down to let in some "air conditioning". My husband knew how I hated to go to these places (where only men seem to get service because wives don't know much) and quickly assured me that the man would be waiting for me. All I had to do was mention his name and they would have everything ready for me. RIIght! So I got to JD and bravely marched my herd into that piece of "man's world". I went to the office of our salesman and....IT WAS DARK AND EMPTY!! So much for waiting for me! After a rather embarrassing explanation at the parts desk where no one knew me or my husband's "magic" name I was sent to the front of the store to the manager's office (who happened to be the son of the owner). I could see and hear from the foyer that he and and an old farmer were talking about making hay and the rain storm approaching that evening. The manager made eye contact with me several times while I waited, and after about 10 minutes the kids were starting to get restless. I mean who wouldn't with all those wonderful green and yellow play things sitting around! Finally I said "sir?" and kinda waved my hand a little, I mean somebody was supposed to be waiting for me right!? Well, he looked up and gave me a half smile and went back to chat'n. Now, my blood is starting to heat up a little and the baby's car seat is about to cut off my arm. Suddenly their conversation turned to lawn mowers and up they came, sailing out of the glass office and out the door. I watched as they now Oohed over a green and yellow model sitting outside the door with a big SALE sign on the seat. That did it! I was hot, tired and very cranky! I marched the kiddos out to the truck and loaded everyone up. I happened to be parked a little way from the men talking and sensed that I had gotten their attention. That was all I needed to fire up that big dually truck and rather loudly roar on down the road. It felt good to burn off a little steam but by the time I got home I felt a little foolish. The memory of watching the two rather stunned men grow smaller in the rear view mirror was becoming kinda funny. What wasn't funny was having to explain to my husband where his papers were, but to my surprise he just chuckled and headed for the phone. To bad for me though that wasn't the end of the story, my husband came in later and informed me that since we were needing to run into town anyway we would just drive out of the way a little and pick up those papers. The manager really was waiting for us now!, and that meant I had to go back! How embarrassing! Well, the manager was a little embarrassed too when we got there, it seems he somehow thought I was some one's wife, (I WAS!) he just didn't pay attention to the fact I was the some one's wife he was supposed to be waiting for. He got the message about the time I loaded up all the kids and roared away. He apologized and gave the kids little toy trinkets. I apologized too and we ended up laughing about it. Hopefully, I thought, he won't remember this next time we're in here. Unfortunately he did. My husband walked in one day to get some parts and chatted awhile, as they said goodbye, the manager looked at my husband and said smiling "I'll never forget that day I met your wife!" Great! Juuuuust great! :-) Mother of 7

7 comments:

Evenspor said...

I didn't realize you had a blog now. Yay! Great story. I don't like going into those "men" stores either, so I usually make my husband get all of my welding stuff for me. ;)

9ndhouse- Katie said...

I know what you mean, I went to buy rod one day since it was on sale and my husband didn't have time to go. I paid and stuffed the ticket in my purse, but the clerk waited with a raised eyebrow and a smirk on his face to see if I even knew where and what a 50# box of 6011 was. When I walked over, grabbed a box and headed for the door he practically jumped over the counter to take the box and get the door! I'da carried that box a mile just to get that smirk off his face! ;-) I'm getting ready to start making a portable clothes line, this string thing between the trees is for the birds! Thanks!

Evenspor said...

What a jerk.

BTW, if you didn't see already, you won the drawing. Congratulations! E-mail me your details, and I will send out the butterflies sometime next week.

Andrea Frazer said...

You know what, you have a right to be mad! I hate sexist bull like that. I can just see you in the heat all sweaty with cranky kids. And your anger was justified. Being Christian does not mean being a carpet rug IMO. Hmmphhh! That's me, blowing off steam for you. At 11:30 PM on a Saturday. I am going to join my husband upstairs now. LOL.

Supervised Mama said...

I am a farmer's wife too! I oftern wonder what the heck I was thinking! I've been in similar situations and it's so frustrating!! I love reading your posts and your comments on BabyCenter. I've just started my own blog, so I'm kinda feeling my way around. Please vivit at www.parentalsupervision.blogspot.com and let me know what you think. I'd love to chat with you about farm life...

Brandi said...

There's a auto parts store just like you describe in my hometown. I HATE going in there because they pay me no attention whatsoever! I don't usually go without my husband but they never aknowledge me when I could be just a customer standing there. Good post 9ndhouse!

9ndhouse- Katie said...

Thanks Ladies! I figured about all of us could tell a story about "a store like that"!! It is a funny story now, until I see the guy in Walmart, then I run! Hehe