Fire That Eric

 I woke up this morning with Nigel on my mind. I know, not good is it! We can't think like that anymore though can we. I have a bit of an idea about something but the trouble is I've sort of jumped in to the middle of the solution so there are gaps at either end, particularly the first end. Meaning I that I'm not sure yet on how to get to where I am, also I'm not sure whether I'm going to end up where I want to ideally be at the end. Laid in bed for five or so minutes I decided that the first step to any progress was to find out if he was actually talking to me. We needed to be talking or nothing is ever going to happen.

So it was with this thought in mind that I got up and dressed. I passed mum in the passage between the rooms and gave her a good morning hug before going out to get the baler and tractor ready. My original thought was to just swap the baler for the trailer that I would be using today. But then I thought it best to have the baler ready to go as I would be needing it again some time soon. So I got that, and my tractor ready to go before taking it off and putting on the trailer I was to be using. I checked inside because I knew the last time it was used was on a wet day, the boys had been using it for manure carting. Dad had said they cleaned it out but it didn't hurt to check. The last thing I wanted was to pull up along side the combine only to find it covered in cow manure. It was all clear though. I checked the brakes, lights and tyre's for cuts and correct pressures. All was good. So I went in the house and spend time with mum while helping her with breakfast. I could see Nigel's car in the yard but couldn't see him anywhere. At least he was here so I had all day to see him.

After breakfast dad set off with the combine towing the header trailer with Nigel in front with a grain trailer acting as an escort to warn oncoming traffic of a wide vehicle approaching. I'm not sure if that it a legal requirement or just something we do for safety reasons. I followed along behind after having a word with Eric and Steve about the current situation with Nigel. Who apparently is only conversing with them in shrugs and nods when forced to do so. Eric had a few choice words to say on the matter but said he would try and behave himself in order to help me.

I caught up with Nigel when in the field. As dad was only just starting after attaching the header there was a time when Nigel and I would be redundant for a while until the tank on the combine needed emptying. So I chose this time to make my approach to Nigel who was just sitting there on his tractor. It was a 3-2-1 moment to get myself moving. On approaching his tractor I made a gesture to him indicating that I wished to get on with him. He opened the door, so I climbed up into the cab and closed the door behind me.

"I take it I don't need to remove my shoes?"

Looking round the cab was still a mess, "I don't suppose we can have this cab tidied up a bit can we, my dad will most likely want to use this tractor soon."

My request was greeted with a shrug of the shoulders and silence.

I sat for a minute in my own silence thinking.

"It doesn't have to be this way you know. No one has anything against you personally, just your attitude."

Still nothing, he sat there fiddling with the computer screen.

I sat for a while thinking some more. I'd had an idea in my head, but I didn't want to implement it until I got something from him, as I didn't want it to appear as something I was offering to get him out of his sulk. I was at a loss now, I even got to wondering what grandfather would do. But then I thought, what ever it was it would most likely make things worse. Then I remembered one of Miss Oliver's Etiquette & Self Improvement lessons, the basis of which is, that if you pick a subject that you know someone has a passion for, you can sit back and hardly have to say a word, as they will do all the talking for you. I think it was intended more for social occasions rather than a suborn boy trying to prove a point. 

I thought it was worth a try though, so asked, "So, how do you think this tractor compares to the New Holland that we had before?"

After looking at me and seeing that it was a serious question and not just a trick to get him talking, he started to open up and was still talking about tractors when the beacon lit up to say that the combine  needed to be emptied.

I thought that this was as good a time as any to implement my master plan. Especially as I wasn't sure when I would get him alone again, and also were already discussing tractors, therefore it wouldn't come across as me trying some kind of bribing tactic to get in with him again,

"Have you never driven a Massey Ferguson then?"

"I have, but it was an old one and very beat up." He replied.

"When we get finished cutting I can take you out on mine to have a go with the baler if you want?"

He looked at me quickly before turning back to keep an eye on the grain loading in to the trailer. It turns out he isn't as green as he is cabbage looking.

"What are you after?" He said with a certain amount of reservation in his voice.

Apparently the giveaway was that he finds me weird when I'm being nice!!! Seen as how he was on to me I thought it best to be honest.

"Nothing you need worry about anyway. I'm your boss and I'm here because you have a problem and it's my job to sort it out".

"Well you can fire that Eric to start with!"

"Ha ha - I'm not going to do that am I? Anymore than I would fire you for treating a new tractor like a garbage truck. I've had a word with Eric and Steve and they've promised not to joke around with you anymore. Now it's up to you to have a bit of respect for their feelings also, and that's the end of it."

We had now arrived back at my tractor, so as I was leaving I quickly added, "So all you have to do now is decided if you want to carry on be being miserable or move on and make your mind up if you want to come with me for a day baling. Just let me know some time."

With that I was gone.

I saw him again at tea time but there were others around so we didn't speak one to one again.

That evening I told dad what I'd done, as he would be needing to let him off work for a day to come with me.

"I knew my faith in you would be rewarded. Not easy for you I'm sure but you did really well my dear. Just make sure he's there to learn and not to play though. You must make him do it as you want him to do it and not like he wants to. He needs making clear of that before he even sets foot on the tractor."

I promised that I would. I really appreciate the trust he is placing in me.

Of course this is all said not knowing if he wants to come with me. But I'm assuming he will.