Montana Tractors

The Boy loves tractors. Really, really loves them.

He's working on 22 months and can identify tractors by make. It's arresting and a little creepy to hear a sweet, lispy voice chanting "Case 560! Case 560!" as we cruise down the back roads.

When there is Sadness, The Boy doesn't often call for Mama. It's "Need John Deer!" Sometimes this hurts my heart, but mostly I'm pleased I can hand him a toy tractor and the tears evaporate.

In anticipation of our Montana trip, we've been talking up a visit to Unclejerryinmontana (all one word). Uncle Jerry has tractors. Several. Mostly John Deers. We thought it would be a veritable Boy nirvana.

On the appointed day, we hauled a couple girls, their horses and The Boy out to Unclejerryinmontana's place. All the way out to Jerry's was a sweet-voiced song from the back seat, "Unclejerryinmontana have John Deer tractors? Ride it? Unclejerryinmontana ride John Deer tractors?"

Yes, Uncle Jerry has John Deer tractors. Yes, you can ride them.

We got to Jerry's place and: Oh, look! There is a John Deer tractor! Can you see it? There it is! Come on, let's get out and ride them.

The ecstatically kicking Boy was hauled out and set on the ground. He had a clear path to the best of the John Deers.

And ...

He sat right down in the dust, picked up a rock and a stick and that was it.

Daddy coaxed him over to the shop, but I think the realities of tractor were too much. They're awfully big and smell funny. The chug chug chug sound we make when reading tractor books aren't nearly the same as the 1960's diesel rumble Uncle Jerry's tractor makes.

Finally Matt climbed up in the seat and hauled The Boy after him. Before there was time to complain, they were chugging (but not "chug chug chug-ing") down the road.

The Boy was grinning broadly. And holding as still as he could. Perhaps he didn't want the tractor to take too much notice of him ... ? You never know when they're going to turn on you.