Marie and Trudy Visit the Farm

Marie & Trudy: Visit during hay raking

In the summer of 1969 I was on the tractor in the field west of our house raking hay that had been cut just a couple of days prior to that day. We would first cut the hay and then let it dry for a couple of days and then rake it into furrows so that we could then bale it with the baler. Of course after it was baled we would then take the wagon into the field and load the bales onto the wagon and haul the bales to the stack yard east of the barn. It was always hard work and not so much fun doing it since we were either on the tractor or on foot lifting bales during this process. We didn’t have enclosed tractors with air-conditioning so being on the tractor really was usually hot and uncomfortable. (However that being said I was really glad I came along after the tractor had at least been invented since walking behind the team of horses was even a lot lore difficult which is what my father and his brothers had done.)

This particular day however was a little more enjoyable because as I was raking the hay with the tractor I noticed two pretty cute girls riding their bikes along the road above the field and watching me work. The one was a particularly fun one to have there since I really liked her and didn’t mind at all looking at her as I worked. They were both blonde and about the same size and age. I later found out that the other girl was a friend of the one I liked. She was from Mapleton and they were best friends when they lived just a few houses apart from each other in Mapleton. Marie and Trudy were their names and Marie was the one in whom I was particularly interested.

Later after Marie and I were married and Trudy had married Richard Childs we lived again just a few houses apart from each other in Mapleton.

The part of this story that is harder to tell is that now although we still consider Trudy to be a friend we both ache for her because of the choices she has made and the results of those choices. She is currently in prison and has been hooked on drugs for several years. Richard died due to complications with his health from Parkinsons Disease. We have often wondered if Trudy’s problems with drugs came during those last years when his medications were becoming more and more heavy and the load of having to take care of him and the ranch and her horses more and more difficult for her.

My reason for writing this story is to show how choices can lead to two totally different lives. One of sorrow and anger and the other of happiness and love. We so love our grandchildren as does Trudy and we are so blessed to be able to see them and to be with them and hope where she cannot at this time. I am thankful that Marie had the standards that she has and has helped me through the years to also live those same standards that I had held as well. We have been so richly blessed because of the gospel and our temple covenants in our marriage. I hope that our children and grandchildren can always have those same blessings as well.