A Modern Cowboy's Dream

Farm Life

The next morning Doug wakes up slipping out of bed and getting a shower. He dresses dawning a plaid shirt, jeans, boots and his cowboy hat then walks down stairs finding Sasha whipping up breakfast still in her night gown. Katya sitting at the table eating bits of cereal. Doug watches Katya eat them and when she runs out Katya says "Mama! Mama!" Sasha walks over giving her some more cereal and Doug says "she's pretty smart huh." Sasha smiles "morning Dougie. I know she literally just figured this out this morning." Katya looks at the cowboy standing over her and says "Dadda!" Doug smiles down at his little girl and sits down next to her making faces to entertain her. Sasha sets black coffee and a plate of bacon and eggs in front of Doug. She also sets down sausage gravy and biscuits for them. Doug takes a biscuit covering it with sausage gravy then cuts it up and feeding a piece to Katya. "Here try this." Katya eats it and Doug keeps feeding her bits of biscuits and gravy. Sasha comes over sitting down with her food and coffee half smiling at her husband and daughter. Doug gives her some egg and Katya spits it out. Doug says "well you're a picky eater aren't you?" Sasha just smiles behind her coffee cup. Sasha says "so what are your plans for today?" Doug says "I'm taking my truck to the shop and getting extra leaf springs added in the back so I can tow more with it then I'll be using my open trailer to pick up equipment and then I'll start plowing then go back through and start planting." Sasha says "why not just get a heavier duty truck like a F-250 or something?" Doug says "well I'm impressed you know a little something about Ford." Sasha says "ive been around you long enough." Doug smiles and says "we don't need two car payments on top of this house and the land I'm running this operation on a shoe string budget for awhile." Sasha says "well Doug I'm a bit impressed because I was gonna tell you we can't afford another payment" Doug says "we're about to have another soon as I bring home that tractor." Sasha sighs "God Doug just blow every penny we have." Doug says "I need the tractor Sasha it aint like I'm blowing it gambling." Sasha says "this farm is a gamble you do realize that." Doug says "I know thankfully I got a decent retirement from the Military." Sasha says "you deserve every bit of it you've shed enough blood for this country." Doug says "I just did what was asked of me." Sasha says "have a little pride won't ya?" Doug smiles "my pride and joy is you and my children." Sasha half smiles reaching across the table to hold Doug's hand. Doug eats his last bit of bacon then stands up kissing her hand. "I shall return." Sasha says "be careful. I love you." Doug says "will do love you too." He walks around the table giving her a quick kiss then ruffling Katya's hair before leaving. He heads out getting in his truck the blue work horse still rolling strong. Doug heads over to a mechanic shop and waits as they add the extra springs to the rear end of his truck. The shop owner says "most people usually just buy another truck." Doug says "yeah moneys too tight for a new truck right now." The man says "I hear that." After waiting and hour in a half Doug pays and heads back to the farm getting the trailer and going over to the equipment dealer picking up a used Massey Ferguson tractor with attachments getting it financed and heading back to the farm. Travis and Mike two of his ghosts are now working unloading Travis's truck and full of seed. The other ghosts have gone home now back to their families. Sasha comes out handing Mike and Travis their checks and she watches Doug unload the tractor and drive it around into the barn. He tips his hat to her and she smiles. Ana watches from her front porch while she sweeps. The diesel tractor belches black smoke as Doug pushes the throttle up. He goes to his northern field lowering the Plow and going straight to work. As he works though the tractor bucks spitting and sputtering then it clanks and screeches horribly shutting down right there in the field. Doug starts cussing and carrying on slinging his cowboy hat as Sasha and Ana watch. He jumps off the 1967 Massey Ferguson and storms off picking up his cowboy hat calling the dealer he bought it from. Their mechanic comes out and looks it over while Doug watches with Eagle Eyes. Sasha walks over rubbing his arm and leans into him. "Easy Doug relax." He sighs and the mechanic makes a call. He walks over to Doug and says "I got good news and bad news what do you want first?" Doug says "the bad first." The mechanic says "to fix it would cost more than its worth." Doug says "oh hell." The mechanic says "I called our guys they're gonna come pick it up and take it back we'll use it for parts. Since we have a 90 day garantee on our used stuff you can come get your money back and maybe we'll find something else for you." Doug says "well I appreciate not getting screwed over like some dealers do people now days." The mechanic smiles "no sir we wouldn't do that we're a family business just like you. My grandfather owns the farm just down the road from y'all actually I'll talk to him and he'll probably let you borrow some of his equipment until you find something you like." Doug says "I appreciate it but I'll just come get my money back for the tractor and I'll keep the attachments. I looked at everything else y'all have before I got this one and this was all I could afford. I know a place I can find what I need." The mechanic nods and they shake hands. The mechanic leaves and Sasha says "what now?" Ana walks up and Doug puts his arms around both of them. "Ladies we're gonna take a trip to Florida and go to something thats called Flywheelers." Sasha says "huh?" Doug says "there's all kinds of fair food you can get into plus old tractors, antique cars, trucks, and outdoor flea market all in one. I just realized its starting tomorrow." Ana says "I'm in." Doug says "ok Sasha Dragon Lady has spoken we're going." Sasha smiles "I was in when you mentioned fair food." Doug grins and says "Mama will be happy to see her grandbaby I'm sure. Flywheelers is close to my hometown." Sasha says "you haven't even told her I'm pregnant have you?" Doug says "we will when we get there." Sasha says "alright then let's go."