Farmer Archer

Today I was raking up the grass in the yard after mowing, and Archer came out and said one of his most common phrases, “Can I help?” So he brought out his little wheelbarrow, I gave him a rake, and he started raking. He soon gave up, and started picking up grass instead. Then he told me that he was feeding the cows. “Here cows cows cows cows! I’m Farmer Archer. Cows say MOOO!” He screeches “moo” in the highest pitched voice I can imagine and I smile thinking how unlike a cow he sounds, but he’s Farmer Archer so he must know what cows sound like. And all I have to do to take advantage of his energy and willingness to help is come up with someway to play into his game. “Farmer Archer, don’t put the grass on the patio, because the cows don’t like to come on the patio, it hurts their feet. They don’t wear shoes. They like to be in the field back there, can you put the grass back there for them?” And, viola, he’s doing the job for me! Ahh the power of manipulation… One point for me for getting him to do work for me, and another point for me for playing his game along with him.