Joe, you are right about the way we react to a new tractor. A year ago I took a day off from work to wait for the arrival of my new JD 4600. The dealer told me he would be at my place by 9:00 a.m. Unfortunately, he was late. At 9:30 I start to pace first in the house and then outside. At 10:00 a.m., still no sign of the tractor. I called the dealership and the receptionist said he left an hour earlier with my tractor and he was delivering a trimmer mower to someone else. OK, I started to relax a bit but still concerned. I was out in the garage when I heard the sound of a truck slowing down and my pulse quickened knowing the moment I had been waiting for was finally here. I walked out of the garage ready to open my arms for my new family member. As the truck approached I could see the 4600 shining in the early morning sun. I could see the dealer shaking his head and he had a sad, depressed look on his face. I walked up to the truck and was given the horrible news. While transporting the tractor (he was about 2 miles from my place) the hood had apparently not been latched properly and the wind caught it and flipped it up in the air. The hood was broken along with the dash plastic and several other pieces. He apoligized and appeared to be as heartbroken as I was. Both of us had the look on our face as if someone had died. He assured me that he would order all of the necessary parts as soon as he returned to his office. Unfortunately, it was Friday and the parts would not be in until Monday. He said I better allow two more days to get the parts installed and deliver the tractor. As he left with my injured tractor I walked to the house feeling this terrible loss. I called my wife at work to explain what had happened. She tried to console me but I don't think she really understood. She likes the tractor and is pretty handy with it. But I really don't wives feel as close to our tractors as we do. It is a bond that only we know. My wife thinks it is an addiction. Perhaps there is a 12 step program for those of us addicted to compact tractors. Perhaps there is a program for wives to learn to live with their spouse's addiction. Maybe we can get the help we need? Nah, they will just have to learn to live with it.
