George Ripley is on his way to a job interview, when he gets a flat tire on his 2001 Ford f-150 pickup truck. He pulls over to the shoulder of the road shuts down his engine, pulls his keys out of the trucks ignition, but before he gets outs of the vehicle to change the tire, he removes his gun belt that contains his CCW an S&W Model 10-14.38 caliber revolver and places it on the passenger seat.

Then as quickly and as carefully as possible he changes the tire and goes to his destination. When he gets to his destination, he shuts down his truck engine and was about to exit the vehicle when he remembered to put his gun belt back on, once it was secured around his waist he grabbed his truck keys, and a file folder that contained his work history.

Then he slowly made his way to the farm house's front door, when he got to the front door he knocked on the door and he waited for an answer to his knock, while he waited as a sign of respect he removed his John Deere hat and neatly placed it into his pocket. After a few minutes of waiting a kind looking gray haired gentleman opened the door and he said "Can I help you young man".

George replied to the man's question "Yes sir you can certainly help me I am looking for farmer Fred Johnson I'm here about the ad in the newspaper about needing a farm hand my name is George Ripley I work hard, I don't complain, and I have a strong back and a very strong pickup truck".

When George finished speaking the farmer said to him "I am farmer Fred Johnson and I have a question for you George do you have a work history"? George quickly handed his folder containing his work history over to the farmer Johnson who opened the folder and he began to read George's work history. As Farmer Johnson was reading George's work history George sweated and he prayed that there was good news for him.

After several minutes Farmer Johnson finished reading closed the folder, handed it back to George and he began to speak. "George you have a very good work history when can you start"? George looked at the farmer, and he replied "Sir I can start today".

Famer Johnson replied that is good to know George now I have one more question "do you have a gun? The reason that I ask is because I require all of my farm hands to have a gun, either on their person or in their vehicle for self-defense, there are a lot of wild animals that would love to have one of my farm hands for a meal".

George calmly pushed aside his jacket and reached for the S&W Model 10-14 that was holstered on his hip pulled it out, unloaded it, and handed it over to his new boss. He looked it over for several minutes then he handed it back to George who reloaded it and slipped it back into the holster on his belt.

farmer Johnson looked at George again and he said "George please come inside and have a cup of coffee and while you're drinking it I will get your work assignment ready for you and for heaven sake call me farmer Johnson not sir I don't like being called sir it makes me feel like and old man and I am certainly not old.

George looked at Farmer Johnson shook his hand and then the two gentlemen walked into the farm house and then they went directly to the kitchen. When they got their George saw a beautiful young woman with long brown hair and dark brown eyes drinking coffee. George decided to politely introduce himself to the young lady. "Hello I am George Ripley Farmer Johnson's new farm hand". Then he shook the young lady's hand.

The young lady looked and George and she politely replied "Nice to meet you George my name is Erica Johnson I am Farmer Johnson's daughter would you like a cup of coffee?" George nodded yes then Erica got a coffee cup handed it to George and then filled it with hot black coffee.

After drinking his first cup of black coffee Erica poured George a second cup, while she was filling his coffee mug George caught a glimpse of Erica's beautiful brown eyes and his heart began to pound like a drum, the palms of his hands began to sweat heavily, and his pulse began to race like a freight train.

George knew that the feelings that he was experiencing were the feelings of love at first sight. But he knew darn well that it would better to keep his feelings to himself for the time being. George sipped his second cup of coffee and he talked to Erica as he patiently waited for Farmer Johnson to bring him his work assignment list for the day.

After several minutes Farmer Johnson brought George's work assignment list to him. George read the assignment sheet, and then he slipped it into his shirt pocket and walked out of the farm house door, got into his truck, started it up and drove out to the fenced area of the farm.

Then he put his John Deere hat back onto his head, grabbed his large tool box and began fixing the fence. George took his time fixing the fence after finishing each repair George examined it so that the job was done right. After fixing each part of the fence that needed fixing he examined his repairs a total of 4 times to make sure that they were done right.

Once the fence repairs were done George put his tools away in his tools box then he closed it up, put in the back of his Ford truck bed, crossed the fence repair choir off of his list put it back into his pocket, got back into his truck and drove out to the cow pasture to check on the dairy cows.

A short drive later and George was out at the cow pasture, he checked on each and every dairy cow that was owned by Farmer Johnson. When he got to the last cow named Mary Ellen he checked her over carefully very carefully. Once the cows were checked on George got back into his truck, then he drove back to the farm house and bailed hay lots of hay. Once the hay bailing was done George chopped wood for the farm house fireplace, and then he fed the pigs George made sure that all of the pigs had plenty to eat.

Once all of that was done George's back hurt like crazy and he was all sweaty but he did not care one bit. When it was lunch time George got back into his truck and headed for the farm house. When he got their he got out of his Ford F-150, removed his John Deere hat put it into his pocket, and he walked into the farm house.

When he got into the Kitchen he saw Farmer Johnson and the other Farm hands sitting at the kitchen table and Erica was making lunch. George found a place to sit at the table after Grace was said lunch was served which featured the following food, ham and cheddar cheese sandwiches ice tea to drink and homemade apple pie for dessert.

When lunch was over with George went to the next assignment on his list changing the oil, oil filter, air filter, spark plugs and if necessary the battery. George changed the oil, then the oil filter, then the air filter and lastly the spark plugs. When this work was done George tried to start the tractor but it refused to start.

George started to rant and rave like a wild man possessed by something evil as he continued his wild ranting and raving, George heard a very pleasant feminine voice behind him say "what's wrong George"? George immediately turned around and saw Erica standing in front of him hold a small jar full of ice tea.

George opened the jar and drank the ice tea that Erica had brought to him, and then he very calmly said to her. "Erica I'm sorry you had to hear all of that but this dad gum tractor won't start at all." Erica looked at George with her big brown eyes and she said to him. "George did you change the battery? It's been a while since the battery has been changed on this tractor." George opened the battery compartment on the tractor and when he saw how old and how dirty that the old battery was he nearly lost him lunch.

Then he carefully removed the old dirty battery and replaced with a new one. Once the battery was replaced the tractor started up just fine. Once the tractor maintenance was done, George bailed more hay fed the pigs again, and he chopped more wood until it was time for supper.

George walked into the farm house, sat down at the table with Farmer Johnson and the other farm hands and they enjoyed the supper that had been cooked by Erica's lovely hands. George's first month working for Farmer Fred Johnson turned out to be very good for him. The last Friday of the month George was determined to ask Erica out on a date, but being the old fashion guy that he is George thought that it would be best to ask for her father's blessing first.

At the end of the work day on Friday George walked into the farm house and went straight to Farmer Johnson's office before going into the office he removed his John Deere cap and put it into his pocket then he walked in. After he had collected his pay for the week after thanking his boss for his pay and was about to leave when he remembered what he need to talk to him about.

After clearing his throat quietly he began to speak "Farmer Johnson may I ask your daughter Erica out on a date?" Farmer Johnson thought about George's polite request for a few minutes then he began to speak. "George I don't normally allow my daughter to date one of my farm hands but you are a nice Christian young man, you go to church regularly, you don't drink alcohol, or smoke, your very polite, and you work very hard, you have my permission to ask Erica out on a date, but have to get her home at 10:30 pm sharp alright."