Friday, August 04, 2006

A Real Prize

A few weeks ago (before I got sick), I took a drive out in the country. Being a former country girl, I do this occassionally when I feel homesick. While driving down a dirt road, I saw a farmer standing in the middle of a huge field.

I pulled over to the side of the road and watched a while. It was very hot and I was afraid the old man was having a heat stroke or something. The farmer just continued to stand there, doing nothing, looking at nothing.

After about 15 minutes, I got of the car, walked halfway out to the farmer and yelled, "Are you OK?" He ignored me, so I walked further into the field and yelled again, "Mister! Are you OK?"

The farmer turned around and gave a friendly little wave. "I'm fine", he replied, "I'm trying to win a Nobel Prize."

"A Nobel Prize? For what?" I asked.

The farmer gave me one of those looks old men give to nosy, but well-meaning woman, "Well, I heard they give the Nobel Prize . . . to people who are out standing in their field."

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