Occasionally my husband has me run for parts. I always make a fuss before I go because inevitably the parts guys ask me, “Is this for the left- or right-hand side?” or “Did he want bolts and washers to go with that?” or “What size does he need?”
They might as well be speaking French. So before I go, I ask my husband to call the parts people and have them set aside on the counter whatever it is I have to pick up, so when I get there I can just pay for it and go. No questions.
One day I was in Shawano getting groceries and running errands. My cell phone rang and caller ID told me it was hubby. He doesn’t call to say he loves me; it must be he needs something. Sure enough, I needed to stop at Caroline Implement and pick up a part and, yes, it will be on the counter.
“Where is Caroline Implement in Shawano?”
“It’s about 2 miles past Senzig’s but getting out of town, don’t go toward Cecil, it’s the other way.”
Now, you have to know me to know that I am seriously directionally challenged. My husband becomes exasperated whenever he needs to tell me anything, be it where something is or what I am to do.
Case in point: One day I was told to side-rake a field I had finished cutting the day before. He gives me jobs he thinks I can handle, so that frees him up to do other things. He then went on to say when I get done side-raking, come back up to the farm, get the chopper and begin chopping. We were filling the silage bags that day, combining rows together to harvest more efficiently, as well as trying to cut hay for baling. There were things happening all over the place and my brain could not keep up.
I made my merry way down to the field, side-raked it, drove that home, came back with the chopper and began chopping. Feeling rather smug about doing these jobs all by myself, I did notice this hay seemed to be rather dry. But I put it out of my mind because I knew sometimes hay dries down quicker than we want. When a field is to be chopped for the bag, it must be greener.
Soon my husband came down with an empty wagon and I noticed he was flailing his arms, gesturing something awfully serious. Presently I heard, “You’re on the wrong field!” Oh. Goodness. Gracious. My heart sunk. I immediately pulled off the row and meekly followed him to the right field. The field I indeed had cut the day before. The field that was perfect for bagging. The field that had a slight tinge of green. The field that he had told me to side-rake and chop.
Later in the day he looked me square in the face and said, “You don’t listen.” I could not argue. Directions to where I’m going and what I am to do float around in my head because I don’t shut my brain down long enough to l-i-s-t-e-n.
So that day in Shawano I was heading out of town and with a gut feeling knew I would not find Caroline Implement. I pulled off in the parking lot of the Hope Community Church and using my IPhone asked Siri, “Where is Caroline Implement in Shawano Wisconsin?”
Her mechanized voice quickly responded: “Here is what I found for ‘where is Caroline Implement in Shawna Wisconsin:’” Tapping on the website, it listed the phone numbers for both Marion and Shawano. Excellent! What on earth did we do before cell phones?
“Hello! I’m to pick up some parts, and I don’t know exactly where you are. I’m sitting in the Hope Community Church parking lot.”
“OK, you go east at the stop sign on the road just past the church and we’re about 100 yards down.”
East? Oh, no.
“Um. East? I’m sorry. If I’m at the stop sign, should I take a left or a right?”
He chuckled quite kindly and said, “Right.”
Relaying this to my husband that evening, he just shook his head. I’ve told him, if I can stand in the middle of my own yard, I know that the sun rises in the east over there, the cemetery is south right there. West is opposite of east, and north is opposite of south. If you take me off the farm, you will have to give me a left or a right.
When all is said and done, my husband is really very patient. He so knows me. He knows I just want to help. And the next time he gives me directions, I will shut down my brain and listen. I promise, dear.
(“Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.” Ephesians 4:2)
