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Stuck In the Mud


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The winter rains wreaked havoc on the dirt road going past our home.  Growing up we had to get up early to do our chores, eat breakfast, get dressed and be ready for the school bus by 5:30 a.m.  Much to our great joy as the school bus crossed the plank bridge the rear wheels sank into the mud.  The driver tried to back up, then tried going forward all to no avail.  He was stuck in the mud.  We watched in amazement as he kept going forward then back.  He sank the rear tires deeper and deeper into the reddish brown muck of the dirt road.

Finally, the bus driver got out and stood there staring at the tires axle deep in the mud.  I ran inside to get Daddy.  He joined the bus driver and my sisters and I watched in anticipation as they both stood there pondering what to do next.

The neighbor from across the creek walked down to join the bus driver and Daddy, and now all three were pondering what to do.  Often pondering can take a while and so we stood there waiting as the pondering cycle ran its course.  All of the kids on the bus had to get out and trek through the mud toward our front porch.  Momma made hot chocolate and ham biscuits.  All eyes were on the pondering adults.

Finally, the trio jumped into action.  Our neighbor pulled his tractor in front of the bus and hooked up a large silver chain to the bus.  Daddy got logs from our woodpile and placed them in front of the tires and made a track for the tires to cross.  The bus driver got back on the bus and slid behind the wheel.  Our neighbor started the tractor and began pulling.  Smoke came from the tires as they spun on the logs, but slowly bit by bit the bus moved forward out of the mud.  We all loaded onto the bus, our adventure at an end, and headed off to school.

Larry Tyler
Larry Tyler
Awaken the possibilities … then unleash them. After 55 years of successful retail management, I have returned to my passion of writing. I write Poetry, Storytelling, and Short Stories. As a child, I grew up on front porch storytelling. I would sit and listen to my Dad and his brothers tell these great stories that were captivating, and I always wanted to hear more. I wanted to experience the things they talked about. I started writing at a young age and reading everything I could get my hands on. At twelve years old I started a storytelling group and several of my friends became writers or poets. At 16 I hopped box cars and worked the tobacco fields, orange groves, picked cotton, and spent many nights around a campfire listing to life stories. Someone once asked me why I wrote. It consumes an amazing amount of time and I assure you it is not going to make me rich. I write so that my children can touch and feel my words telling of the ones that came before us and the stories they told me. These are the chronicles of our family and even though they come from my childhood memories and are deeply rooted in a child’s remembrance at least they may feel what it was like in the time before them and cherish the things the elders left behind. I am a Columnist & Featured Contributor, BIZCATALYST360 and I have The Writers Café, a group on LinkedIn that features Poets, Writers, Artists, Photographers, and Musicians . On Facebook I have two groups and one page; Dirt Road Storytelling, From Abandoned To Rescue Dogs And Cats, and About Life, Love And Living. As writers, it is true that we honestly do not know what we hold within us until we unleash it. When our words inspire others only then will inspiration return to the writer. I will spend my twilight years in search of the next story, the next poem, and the next image. I will take the time to enjoy my Wife, our Dogs, and Cats, and our amazing new home and I will always find the time to walk down a dirt road I truly hope is that I never have to read another book on Leadership, be on a conference call or see another plan o gram as these were the tool for what I did in life and not about who I am.

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5 CONVERSATIONS

  1. Larry, you spun a good tale (forgive the pun 🙂 and you kept my mind jumping with vivid imagery about the bus being stuck in the mud and then pulled out by the tractor. I kept hoping it would take all day so the kids could miss a day of school. It must have been a let-down to be in class after the excitement of the morning! Great analogy on how we carry things of great value in business and in life but we sometimes get stuck in the mud. That happened to me recently and it felt like I stayed stuck for almost 3 months. I keep beavering away and finally made it through, after 5 major attempts. It was tedious and painful but now I’m so glad I persisted. Thanks for the fun read. I had no trouble imagining the scene as you painted it.

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