Page 54 of A Fowl Match

“I’ll pull her out of here and we can drive it instead.”

“Where are you going to sit?” I ask once it’s sitting in front of the barn.

“I’ll stand on the back.”

“Where?”

“Where the implements attach.”

“Is that safe?”

“It’s safe enough. That’s how my grandpa taught me.”Safe enough.What does that mean? I’m starting to regret this idea.

He helps me onto the tractor. I’m feeling my confidence fleeting every moment. Being up this high with no clue what I’m doing is nerve racking. But I trust Dustin. I know he will make sure we’re okay.

“Remember the brake is the pedal on your right. The clutch is on your left. The throttle is the little bar right here.” He reaches his arm over me and moves the bar up, the tractor revs up higher. When he moves it back down it slows to an idle. “Got it?”

“Yes, that doesn’t seem too bad.”

“Good, we’re going to start in first gear and stay in it, that way you can go slowly. We’re going to the field to the far right. Just keep following it until you see apple trees.”

“Okay.”

“See the bar to the left of your legs, that’s the gear shifter. You can wiggle it now. If it moves freely it’s in neutral. Before we head off, which side is the brake and clutch?”

“The brake is on the right, and the clutch is on the left.”

“Good.”

He gives me a few more instructions on how to stop, how to slowly release the clutch so that it doesn’t throw him off, how to shift into each gear and what to do on steeper ground. I paled when he talked about going up and down hills. Good thing where we’re going is flat.“

“I think you’re ready. Press down the clutch, move the gear into first and slowly feather the pedal to release it.”

I got this.

I try my best to let off the petal easily but it springs from my foot faster than I expected. We shoot forward, the motion makes him almost fall off.

“I’m sorry!” I shout.

“It’s okay, you’re learning.” He chuckles. “We might lose our lunch. I almost threw it off. But it’s a risk I’m willing to make.”

I roll my eyes and laugh.

After we breeze through the pasture at a snail's pace, he instructs me on how to change into second gear, and third. We travel smoothly, the wind blows in my hair. His breath is hot against my ear. The sky is bright blue with thick white clouds.Everything is in full bloom, the trees bright green. I smile. And stop the tractor a few feet in front of the apple trees.

“Look at all the apples. I wish they were ready to eat!” I say, as he helps me off the tractor.

“You can have all the apples you want in the fall.”

“I can’t wait.”

His eyes widen. “I forgot a blanket.”

“That’s okay. I like sitting on the grass and feeling it between my fingers. It’s freeing. Grounding.” I feel bad for derailing his plans. But it was worth it. Learning how to drive the tractor was nice. I trust Dustin, more than I have ever trusted anyone before.

He opens the wooden basket and removes two sandwiches, grapes, and some water.

“Thanks,” I say, as he hands me my food. “It’s really peaceful out here.”

---