On another Saturday the car group was in the rurals once again. (This was a farming community so there was a lot of rural territory) This time the car group was Sr Offthewall, Sr Tagalong and in the back seat two young Pioneer Brothers in their early twenties.
The road leading up to the farmhouse was long and dusty. It was summer so the dust rose in a high billowing cloud that followed the car to the farmhouse. While the dust settled the group had the usual discussion of who’s turn it was to go to the door. The two sisters were chosen by the oldest male, Br Snotnose, who by the way was younger than their children and who Sr Offthewall had diapered in his baby years.
The sisters did not get to the door of the house before the two dogs came from around the house. They obviousely meant business. The hair stood up in a ridge on their backs, their tails were down and the barks were mixed with growls. No time for book bag shields, the sisters made a hasty retreat to the car. As they slammed the car doors shut the dogs lunged at the car, barking and growling and scratching the side of the car in an attempt to get at the enemy invaders.
Sr Offthewall started the car, did a three point turn around and sped down the long driveway leaving a huge cloud of dust obscuring the farm, the demon dogs and the terrifing experience far behind.
Sr Offthewall was shaking as she turned onto the paved road at the end of the driveway. From the back seat Br Bethel Wannabe said, "Sr Offthewall, Sr Offthewall, What is that behind the car?" She looked in the mirror and stopped the car, jumped out and ran to the back of the car. There attached to the ball on the hitch of her car was a trailer. You know the kind, flat bed with ramps sticking up at the end for hauling a tractor. Some how in her haste to leave the demon dog farm, as she made the three point turn, she must have backed into the trailer and it fell onto the ball of her car.
The decision was clear. Sr Offthewall was not going to steal some farmer’s trailer. It had to be returned. She turned around and headed back up the dusty driveway. The dogs were still there. The farmer was not. The dogs only barked at them from a distance as she manuvered the trailer into the spot where it had been. They were not a threat to the dogs as long as they stayed in the car. But how could the trailer be disconnected from the car without getting out?
Theocratic rules of who’s in charge do not apply in a crisis situation. Sr Offthewall was in charge. She had a plan.
Br Snotnose had to climb out the car window onto the car roof, from there he had to get down to the trailer hitch and disconnect it.
Of course the demon dogs were not happy with the plan. They barked and snapped and growled, all the while jumping at the side of the car as Br Snotnose climbed out the window and sat on top of the car dressed in a white shirt and tie and suit pants. All the while he is screaming like a girl saying that he was afraid of sliding off the trunk lid into the jaws of the demon dogs. So brave Bethel Wannabe climbs out on the car roof with him.
Drastic measures were needed. Sr Tagalong climbs into the back seat (not an easy thing for a grandmother to do in a dress). The two sisters begin waving Watchtower and Awake magazines out the windows to distract the dogs. A few frisbee throws to the front of the car prove to be good diversions. The ground becomes littered with magazines, some ripped to shreds by the dogs.
In the meanwhile on the roof Br Bethel Wannabe slides down head first toward the bumper as Br Snotnose holds his legs. Br Bethel Wannabe manages to lift the trailer off the ball and to one side so it will slip off the bumper. They climb back into the window joining Sr Tagalong in the back seat.
Sr Offthewall drives forward, checks the mirror. The trailer is free, mission accomplished. Off she flies in a triumphant cloud of dust.
They drive back to the Kingdom Hall and each one goes their separate way. Field service would have to wait for another day.
Then I moved to Florida to the city where the Brothers wear their collars too tight and Field Service has all the joy of cleaning toilets.
But that is all in the past. Thank God for small favors.
Loris
