Jed invited Ellie to the annual Halloween hay ride, in Colder county, a south Georgia little known community. Colder was known locally, though, for it’s large prize hogs, huge cattle and gigantic pumpkins. Jed was a blue ribbon winner the past three years. At the Colder county fair, for the largest hog, the largest pumpkin and the largest cow. He was a farming legend. Already. At the young age of eighteen, he was staring a bright agricultural future dead in the face. Everybody knew it. Ellie was not a farm girl. She had moved to Colder county just this last year. She was into music, art and writing. Farming did not thrill her at all. However, Jed Stripland was the cutest farmer boy in twenty counties. She did like him. He had a sweet country charm that won her over from the very start. Ellie Jones was love struck. Seventeen and a bit weak in the knees for this big strapping blonde and blue eyed country farm boy. Ellie, of the green eyes and long dark hair, knew a good thing when she saw it. Jed was a Colder county prize. She was deeply love stricken, though, she tried hard to hide it.
Jed proceeded to win every agricultural farm prize at the Colder county fair. Again. Best in pumpkin, cow, hog and many other prizes. Blue ribbons decorated all of his entries and Ellie was quite impressed. Jed glowed and smiled. He was very proud. So was Ellie. Jed had asked her to the Annual Colder county Halloween Hay Ride. That was a big deal, in this tiny, but mighty community. Ellie smiled for the three entire days that led up to the fun hay ride. All of her friends knew that she was going with Jed. They were envious. They all warned her. They said to watch out for wandering hands. Ellie just laughed. She knew how to handle that. She was not worried. She felt quite at ease around Jed. They had an understanding. They both had good morals and Christian values. There were no worries, only joy at being able to have fun together on the Halloween holiday.
All loaded up into the large hay wagon stuffed with hay, and now, also people. Jed held Ellie’s hand and the wagon rolled forward, pulled by a tractor. All in the hay wagon cheered. “Happy Halloween!” they screamed. The wagon went almost a mile before it pulled to a stop, by a huge red barn. “You will find many treats here!” a voice screamed. They all left the wagon and ventured into the barn. They found scented candles, candy, Halloween decorations, toys and many other fun treats hidden in the barn. After an hour of treat hunting, they all piled back into the hay filled wagon. They settled in for the ride back. Music started blaring from the tractor pulling the wagon. The Monster Mash. What a fun song. All in the wagon started singing together. Soon, the song was over and the hay ride grew very quiet.
A loud squealing came from the hay. At least, that is where it seemed to be coming from. A few folks screamed. Some laughed. Jed grabbed Ellie close and held her tightly. The scary squealing seemed to be getting louder. It was awful. Some covered their ears. Some started shouting at the tractor driver to stop. He did. Wheeeeet, wheeeeet, wheeeett. The sound got louder. All that were riding on the hay ride leapt out in a hurry. Wheeet. The noise kept on. Then, suddenly, a small white blur jumped out of the hay and onto the ground. It was a pig. A small white one. It was squealing loudly and ran down the dirt road, away from the hay wagon.
“Jed, did you know that was a pig?” Ellie asked him. “Well, now I do.” he calmly stated. The entire crowd burst into laughter. “Ya’ll got us good!” someone said. Jed agreed. Ellie started laughing and soon, her and Jed could barely stand up. The tractor driver grinned at them. “He went Whee whee whee, all the way home!” he said. They all laughed for a half an hour, it seemed. Happy Halloween! This holiday funny story was delivered to ya’ll country style. Best fall holiday wishes! And, if you should happen to see that wild squealing pig, please return him to Jed.