I do not know how it happened. I was just sitting there at the Clay County Fair watching one of the free shows. It was a pleasant late summer afternoon underneath a tent when she caught my eye standing with others, but slightly apart. Even at a distance of several hundred feet, I was caught up by her looks.

The first thing I noticed was her brown color. It was a shade of brown that was almost chocolate like. I kept glancing in her direction. Every time I looked, I saw how attractive she was. Her shape, her proportions made me want to get closer.

Once the show was finished, I walked in her direction. I had my camera in my bag as I thought I might need some pictures of her to take home. I walked in her direction and the closer I got, her eye appeal kept increasing. She was a beauty.

Once I got within a few feet, I could see she was even more attractive. I walked around her several times admiring her many qualities. I had seen many others like her before, but this time I knew she was not like the others. It was that lovely brownish color that still made me want to stand there and just admire her.

After a few minutes of gazing, I started taking pictures. Every time I changed position, I had a new angle to appreciate her features. I even started to image the two of us together. We would take loads of corn to the ethanol plant where I could show her off.

I stood in front of her and that was when I could see how unique she really was. I started taking more pictures. I have never seen another like her. Her lovely almost brown color, her proportions, her features and now here I was looking directly into her independent front suspension.

Yes, that is right; she had an independent front suspension. What did you think I was talking about? A woman? What? At my age? H-h-h-h-h-h-h-h!

I believe this is worse than a woman. This is a tractor, a lovely, shiny new tractor. It has been a month since I first saw it and I still think of it like a schoolbo with the girl across the room. She is so close and yet so far away.

This tractor had chrome in all the right places. It had features as I walked around it I could see were thoughtfully and carefully laid out. I circled it several times taking in as much as I could.

Like the plain-looking boy who gazes lovingly at the homecoming queen, I stood there and with each look, I saw something else to admire. Comfort, convenience, front wheel assist, plenty of power, everything was there. She spoke to me in my mind saying, “I could be yours. You can take me home.”

I have heard “Look, but don’t touch” many times in my life and this was one of those days. I never tried opening the cab. It was probably locked anyway. If I had sat in the cab, I would have been even more hooked. It was time to walk away and take a cold shower.

Here I am, the guy who almost never looks at new equipment, smitten about a tractor I saw over a month ago. I told my wife she could buy me that tractor. From the look on her face, I could see I had just gotten my cold shower. However, I will always have my pictures. Sigh.

Rye is a Farm News staff writer and farmer from Hanlontown. Reach him by e-mail at crye@wctatel.net.