an entertaining outing

Today we drove the 7 mile or so into town, despite the accumulation of another few inches of snow on top of the foot that had already fallen. We’re kinda crazy that way…at times, especially Coop who loves to drive in the snow.

After taking care of errands, we definitely needed to put some petrol into the old car before heading back to the country. We were fortunate to find that one station had it for $2.89 a gallon. Everyone else was priced at $3.05 or above. So, despite the line, we pulled in and were able to zip into an open bay because our gas tank was on the appropriate side. (Thank you universe!) As I waited in the car, I watched in amusement, as we citizens came and went, feeding that great machine created by the oil industry and capitalism. Two isles over a woman sat in her car, waiting, waiting, waiting to pull forward just one space to the pump. However, everyone else lined up at that pump was facing her. After the third car pulled up, with her (woman A) still waiting her turn, she stepped out of her car and confronted woman B who was at the pump. I heard woman A explain to woman B that she had been waiting a very long time and it certainly was her turn. Woman B explained she had been waiting a long time, also, then add sarcastically, “I’m here, what can I do about it now?” Woman A replied, “I was waiting when you pulled in, you could back up”, to which woman B replied, ‘it’s too late. I already slid my card.” Woman A got back into her car and turned as she did, saying, “you’re a bitch’, to which woman B said very defensively, “I am NOT a bitch.”

I’m thinking to myself that this may progress further, but can’t help but chuckle inside at the ridiculousness of the situation. Luckily it didn’t progress. I was left thinking that if everyone weren’t in such a hurry or so self centered, they might be a little more considerate of the next person. What a fine example of our values!

So…of we go with one more stop before getting home. We needed to pick up milk, butter and eggs from Sam and Fanny’s house, providing we could get in their driveway. It had been cleared enough to allow safe passage, so we were able to get in. As we came up the drive, we saw Sam out with his team of two horses with a sled rigged up, trying to herd four half grown calves back to the barn. Coop offered a hand of course, but Sam said he had it taken care of, so Coop proceeded into the milk house to get our jugs filled. I watched Sam take his team around in circles a few times to head the cows around in the right direction. All the while Sam was shouting in German and making a weird sound and throwing snow balls at the cows when they veered off in the wrong direction. It was terribly entertaining and quite funny to see.

Suffice it to say, the necessary brief trip out today made for some unexpected entertainment in the least expected places. I have to say, also, that I just love how Sam and Fanny deal with things. Sam could have gotten all p***** off over the cows, but he didn’t. He jut did what needed done to get them back to the barn. When he was done, he went on with other things. He took it all in stride as just part of the day.

I often see the difference between the behavior of these simple people and mainstream society. If you’re exposed to both, you can’t miss it. The Amish I’ve met are not pretentious at all, but very humble, polite people, lacking the over inflated egos seen so often in society. We could learn a lot from them in so very many ways.