Mello Yello

As I sip on Mello Yello today, I was reminded of a story that I decided to write about:

For my readers who have known me from high school to college will know that I have a liking for Mello Yello.

I remember one summer, perhaps the summer of 2001, Dad asked me to do a odd job for him, haying. This was the first and the last time I ever done haying for Dad.

Dad showed me how to work with the John Deere tractor (Dad is loyal to John Deere tractors like I am loyal to Mello Yello).

The engine speediness (that stick that goes toward the rabbit makes the engine run faster, hence the rabbit- the other way is toward the turtle, makes the engine die slowly); the shifting from gear 1 to 2 to 3 to Neutral to 4… something like that. It is now vague to me as I type this.

After repeated instructions, I finally grasped the concept of driving the big machine. Dad nervously let me go and I was haying the field.

While haying, I remembered how growing up that I would see Dad talk on the radio, and within matter of minutes, he got a candy bar and a Diet Coke.

You see how I was inspired by that, after few rounds, I decided to try it out myself. I picked up the farm radio in the tractor and said (at least that’s what I thought I said), “Mello Yello please!”

Sure enough, within minutes, I saw Dad’s blue pickup coming flying down the road with dust billowing behind the truck…

He is coming a little too fast.

The pickup pulled up in the field, and Dad jumped out of the pickup and ran up to the tractor.

Oh boy, now I have to stop this big machine. How do I stop it? The frail skinny farmer’s daughter self tried to bring the machine to stop by putting all her body weight on the two pedals (crutch and the brake, I think?).

Tractor stopped.

Dad climbed up, panting, “ARE YOU OK?”

I smiled sweetly, “Yes, I am OK” while searching Dad’s hands, pockets… “Where is my Mello Yello?”

Dad was taken aback, “Mello Yello? Mom thought you called for help, so did Grandma, so they both radioed me and told me to go and help you!”

Needless to say, I got a good laugh out of it, and clarified Dad’s misconceptions, and told him that I remember him getting pop within matter of minutes after asking for it on the radio.

Dad sighed and left, no dust clouds this time behind his blue pickup.

20 minutes later, Rachel came in four-wheeler and gave me Mello Yello.