Here is another story about my dad on the farm in Canada. Author’s note: This story was told to me by my dad when he was in his 90’s. He wore overalls when working on his Grandfather’s farm.
By the Seat of his Pants
My father, Bruce, spent many summers on the family farm in Delhi Canada. He was asked to perform many chores. One of his chores was to collect eggs from the chickens.
Not all the chickens stayed in the chicken coop. Several grew wing feathers and could fly short distances to escape the fenced in chicken coop. They were ingenious where they would lay their eggs. Hay piles, under wagons and occasionally in hay lofts or small trees, there one would find chicken eggs.
One morning Grandma Turnbull found Bruce and said,
“I saw that white hen coming from under the barn this morning, she must be laying her eggs there.”
Bruce replied, “I’ll go look.”
He took a small basket and crawled under the barn. It was dark, and filled with cobwebs. Bruce had to wriggle to the end of the space to see a pile of twigs that must be the nest.
Gathering several eggs, he started to wiggle backwards. Suddenly he was caught by something above him. He couldn’t reach to feel what held him, he couldn’t go forward or backward. He was stuck!
The morning grew warm and Bruce, hot and sweaty, was getting scared. What if no one looked for him?
Finally, he heard his Grandpa calling, “Bruce, where are you?”
Yelling loudly, he screamed, “I”m here, under the barn, I’m stuck!”
His Grandpa, wiggled under the barn holding a lantern. He saw the problem. Bruce’s pants were caught by a protruding nail from above.
“Loosen your jeans,” he ordered.
With difficulty, Bruce undid the straps on his bib overalls. Grandpa was able to work the pants free and slide the pants and himself from under the barn.
“Come on Bruce, you’re free.”
Bruce sheepishly wiggled from the barn. He was bright red from heat and embarrassment.
After that experience, he couldn’t stand confined space
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Bruce
Redhead
ready to help
urban kid trying to farm
could get into trouble easily
each day
Carolaspot@aol.com
copyright 9/9/2021
traveling up and down the blind highway 