bumping my post count!

[missed mallards]

Deer hunt turned out to be a little different in fact, no hunting period!

“Fresh dirt and the rumble!”

Have you ever been doing something that immediately takes you back to your childhood? Was it a smell, a place, or simply a ‘thing’ that did it? I’m always amazed at the power of my own mind. No, I didn’t graduate the top of my class, nor has anyone referred to me as a genius, but my mind works still. It’s just often times different from others. Take today for example, there I was venturing out when the sound of an atv muffler and it’s rumble took me straight there. There? There is a young boy some 30 years ago and a memory that he’ll always have.

It’s often funny to me how something can remind one of a past time or memory. For instance the smell of fresh harvested soybeans takes me back to massy Ferguson combines and late nights on the farm. I was a little chap then, but the hours we spent riding those harvesters still grounds me much like the roots of the crop we harvested. Ah yes, the sound of protein hitting the hot grease and I’m immediately in Attala county, MS where we celebrated the kill of the young man’s first buck by frying up the backstrap. It’s odd, yes, but it’s something I hold dear. It is also why I’m writing this story.

It was the early 1990’s, a century ago per my child, yet a time of living. No cell phones plagued your life, email was not yet thought of, and politicians at least hid the corruption. I was a young’un per my elders, a son per my mom, and my granddads buddy per him. That’s just the way it was back then. A simpler time perhaps but a blast otherwise. Anyway, as luck would have it, soybeans had shot up to a price by todays standards would make every farmer have a heart attack, but in those days, a fine price to be had. I honestly don’t know what each bushel brought but I know thanks to them my pappy, or grandfather, was able to splurge and get an ATV. A 1989 honda forman. Solid axle up front, 4 wheel drive, red, I mean the cats meow in those days! Well compared to the honda 110 3 wheeler that had been the farm work horse, that extra tire meant a lot!

The news of his purchase came by rotary phone. Literally, this wasn’t in the days of snapchat, facebook, or even email! We, my brother and I, were notified of his purchase via phone. Like the ones you see in olden movies. Oh the anguish that did to us, as we had to wait until the following day when Pappy would pick us up from school for a ‘spend the night’ Friday night to even see it! At that time, we’d finally get to see his new machine! Until then… It was like waiting for Christmas morning!

I will never forget Pappy arriving in the carpool line with that shinning red piece of art. The black ‘mud’ grips shined, the silver seat looked so plush, and the red colored plastics stood out like a 100 dollar bill laying on a sidewalk. It was the prettiest thing I had ever seen. Even more so, the reasoning behind the purchase was for us to get to the back areas easier to hunt. Even way back then I was ate up with the outdoors, so this was a win win in every scenario you could fathom. As we loaded up from school that day, we set out for the homeplace to ‘break’ in the new machine!
Ah, arrival, finally! We had made the lifelong journey for us kids and managed to survive the 12 mile trip. Without hesitation, we unloaded the truck, and in mere seconds were suited up in our very best camo coveralls and rubber boots, complete with gloves. Yes, it was cold, and I do mean cold! Even Pappy resorted to throwing on his over garments. As my grandfather slowly turned the key and hit the start button, I don’t believe at any time there were 2 larger smiles than those of the two kids on the back rack.

Motoring on, the simple sound of the atv began to drown out. My grandfather would rev his engine, shift gears, and slowly speed down the turn row. We were, free! We had all this land to cover and a vital piece of equipment that was advertising as conquering it at our disposal. We rode to the south end and ventured on up to the north line. All the while, having the times of our lives. It was our first experience on an atv and we fell in love right then. As the cold finally whipped us into submission, my grandfather turned the beautiful red machine around and elected to take a short cut back to the headquarters. It wasn’t but a few seconds later that we found ourselves covered in head to toe mud. That pretty gorgeous red was now as black as the night. We thought it was great and fun, my grandfather on the other hand had just taken a brand new machine and jumped it off in a mud hole, unintendedly of course. That’s when we heard “Now you boys know not to tell your memama…Right?” I still don’t know if he was joking or not, but tell we did not!

Looking back, that was about as fun as it could get. There’s no telling how many hours we spent on those turn rows going here and there and exploring as kids would do. It was a whole lifetime ago, but the moment I straddled the 4wheeler, and began to ease down the turn row those memories came flooding back. I had to stop and just sit. The smell of fresh dirt, the memories that replayed, and the drowning sound of the muffler was about as relaxing as any place I’ve been in a long time. We lost pappy on news year eve of 22, and sadly, he wouldn’t have been able to recall those days. In fact, those two kids were not even known for quite a while. However, as the sun hit my shoulders and the land lay still, I realized his new farm is far much greater than the one he left behind! It’s just been way to long since I straddled a 4 wheeler I guess.

[NyssaAquatica]

Great story, thanks for writing it.

[lilwhitelie]

Great read as always!! One issue….. don’t wait so long to post another!! I’m sitting in a stand and it sure helped pass some time

[jacksbuddy]

When you write your big book, let us know so we can get a copy and say -


"We knew him way back when......"