John Deere

In 1992 I started college at Shippensburg University. My history professor turned out to be a strange woman with wild hair who was forced to leave Kenya with only her children. We never found out why, but the experience really had an effect on her. Within the first week I found myself talking to her after class. It must have been about philosophy because when a male classmate came up asking about farm equipment she suggested we get together and write "Zen and the art of Tractor maintenance." Told you she was weird. The next day he asked me to the movies.

Dave seemed like a nice enough guy so soon I was on my first college date. We went to see Dial M for Murder-a great movie and my introduction to Hitchcock. I also learned that Dave really liked John Deere tractors. He had the cap, the socks, the suspenders, the shirt, the pants and of course, the tractors. Dave wanted to graduate with his degree in history, return to his hometown on Perry County (think Deliverance here) where he would get a job at his high school and earn money to buy tractors.

It might have made sense if he or his family had a farm...but they didn't. Dave and I spent the next four years politely nodding at each other. I hope everything worked out for him. He kinda reminded me of the uncle I had that owned a dairy farm now that I think about it...