sitting in my glass castle, daydreaming the time away, I noticed a car and and "avan" come up the dirt road, stop and a little lady getting out, I couldnt see her properly but from a distance she looked to be up in age

I continued reaping but just couldnt get her out of my head, why was she out here so far from the bituman on such a hot day

it finally got to me, so I raised the comb turned around and drove on over, shut her down and I jumped the fence, I aproached her and could see she was about seventy as nervous as all hell and hot and flustered

I said g'day and asked if all was well she said oh I didnt want to bother anyone but I have a noise coming from under the car and I didnt want to stop on the main road and be in the way 

well I said that I would take a look at it and asked if she would like a drink of water, she said no but I got her one anyway then I had a look underneath, she had run over one of those rolly polly bushes and got some stuck underneath, took me two minutes to release it

she offered me money, which I declined, I asked her to go up to the house (about 8 miles away) and told her the way, I radioed ahead, she sat and had a cuppa with the bosses wife and had a great old time, lovely lady, absolute delight

I felt absolutely bloody terrible about this, "not wanting to be a bother", christ what if it was my mum or yours,

if this is you and you are travelling, be a bother stop someone and get assistance, dont even think about it, take a cool drink if it is offered and if it is not then bloody well ask for one

I feel absolutely crap that there are folk out there with this attitude, this feeling will stay with me all day

what is the world becoming when we cant stop and ask for help!!!

Dave,what is the old saying"If you cant.t do somebody a good turn,don,t give them anything"I think that that is how the saying goes.We are a funny kettle of fish us humans and I find it hard to understand a lot of the things we say or do.Do you know Dave that your story would probably pass over quite a few peoples heads.I have a stocksaying to people that I may have helped in some way,changed a spare wheel,fix a rattle etc if they offer me a payment,I say"My payment is that you help someone who is in a bit of trouble"the same way that you have allowed me to help you".Thanks for a great tale mate.Cheers.Ibbo..Ah ha it comes back to me.If you can't do someone a good turn,don't do them a bad one.

the weird thing was that I am in a very large paddock and another two minutes I would have been a mile away with no way of seeing her again, I just had this "feeling" that all was not right, I wouldnt normally shut the harvester down and return but it just kept at me what would she have done, where would she have gone, hell I just dont want to go there, we are a long way from civilisation!

Plus with that bush under her car she may have had a fire problem out there in the heat.Cheers.Ibbo.

Well done Dave have you internet on your harvester

absolutely everything in here, air cushion seat, fully adjustable armrests, adjustable workstation, ergonomically designed operational control systems with automation, gps guided navigation (thats how I can type at the same time as work) uhf, vhf, bluetooth phone connectivity onboard computer controlled climate control, automatic live active sound deadening speakers, dvd, cd, and six speaker stereo, active eye scanning technoligy, it can tell how many times you blink and how long between blinks, if it senses you are "nodding off" then it will sound an alarm, two alarms and she will shut down we need it, I am currently working 20 hour days the headers of today are an absolute marvel, we can go from one crop to another without changing any settings manually it is a simple "push button" affair, all data is available to me via a computer screen, for instance it is currently 32degs outside and quickly rising, 20deg inside, 2 knot variable north northwesterly breeze, I have currently 10 kph ground speed (thin patch) with an average yield of 1.2 tonnes per hectare, instant reading of .800 tonnes per hectare the only thing I fear is a breakdown, wouldnt know where to start to fix it, a call to a computer technician would be first I guess

A lot of elderly people do feel like they are a nuisance and a bother

Great to hear you following the gut instinct Dave, it really works most of the time.

She will talk about you and the farm for weeks to come now.

Don't dwell too much on the coulda beens mate, you did a great thing, as usual. 

You must have to pay big money to operate it, does it cook your meal

Hi Dave. When ever Ive helped some one out like that it makes the rest of the day just GREAT. Dont wory about the might have beens, you wer there when needed.

Agreed, Dave, it's a sad attitude, developed, no doubt, in early childhood.

This is where "assertiveness training" came onto the scene but, unfortunately, a great number of the participants in the classes were the ones who least needed help

Good on you for having the wit to suss out the situation and for taking a positive approach.



-- Edited by Rolly on Monday 9th of November 2009 10:48:43 AM

It might be that she wanted help....but was to scared if someone did come and...well.....you know....but Davo saved the day.......and she met new ppl too....*VBS* Dave

Terry the header and land belongs to an old mate of mine, I help him out every year, he wanted to give me a share of the crop which would have ammounted to thousands but I declined, I agreed to accept $30 an hour (he wouldnt pay less) I get no overtime or anything like that but I do work as long as possible (20 hour days) Dave I honestly think that "things" got on top of her and fear took over and I think she was simply "at a loss" as to what to do next

my thoughts edzacary, thanks for that Terro, shout as much as you like, get them to hear you!

That depends on who is bothering you Terro.......................I mean if it was DaveO............?? Get my drift? He couldn't even stand in the proper spot when I tried to drop the branch on him. :)

ah! that would explain a few things, now where did I put my shanghi!

Good on you Dave ' too many just dont want to get involved .

One day it may be our turn .

well what a difference a day makes, the pair turned up out here a while ago, jock (the boss) turned up a little while later, luckily caught me working, they brought out scones and cake and cups of tea, this lovely, lovely lady immediately "meshed" with the bosses wife, both around the same age and similar experiences it seems she was suffering from a sort of "heat stroke", very confused, she had a shower and a lie down then they got to talking and well I dont think they have stopped since, she will be staying with the boss and his missus for a while, the bosses wife wont hear of her going anytime soon and she doesnt mind we sat down under a tree (me with one eye wide open on the branches willing them to stay), unfolded the card table and fold up chairs and didnt move for over an hour, we just talked and talked, the time absolutely flew, just the four of us in the middle of nowhere laughing and joking like we have always known each other I asked her why that particular road and why did she stop at that particular point, she said it was "god's guidance" well who am I to argue, I'm not that big a believer but hey it worked for her absolutely amazing is all I can say, a chance meeting and now lifelong freinds, the rat**** feeling I had all day is now gone, replaced by some great memorys, lovely woman! absolutely incredible!

A great story with a happy ending Dave, and what's more it's true, unlike some of the "glurge" that does the rounds in emails.

There you go Dave ,more good people helping out.

Like i said ;maybe one day we might need the same help,

Just hope there is still some good people left.

I just cant believe how well she "meshed" with Jock and velma, hell they are inseperable I think they are going to adopt each other

Terrific ending to what could have been a very sad case old mate!! :)

well done Dave say howdy to everyone for us we will be there soon

then you will meet her, she really is a fantastic person, some people are just so easy to like. she will fit with the crew like bread and butter! she's coming to our chrissy lunch as of course you are, wait till you see little R.J.

Velma and Aggy have cleaned up the furnishings in one of their many spare rooms, it seems Aggy (short for Agatha or some god awful name) has been at a loose end for some time and will be staying with Jock and Velma for the foreseeable future they are absolutely inseperable, laughing like school kids, finishing each others sentences, Velma can certainly use the extra help and comraderie offered by Aggy, especially around shearing/harvest and I think Aggy can use the freindship and companionship Jock is over the moon that Velma has company at the house, velma is as happy as I have ever seen her, me I just smile!!! a lot!!!