At midmorning, a young woman drove up in a dented pickup and asked whether Hollis was taking seasonal help. She was eighteen, had recently finished school, and wanted to learn agricultural equipment operation. Her family did not farm. She had called several operations and been told to come back when she had experience. Hollis studied her for a moment, remembering the men who had looked at her as though youth were an explanation for every mistake she might make.
"Do you know much about tractors?" Hollis asked.
"A little. My uncle showed me how to do basic checks. I know I need training before I touch anything complicated."
"Good answer."
The young woman looked relieved. "Does that mean I can work here?"
"It means we can talk about the job, the pay, and the training. I won't put you in equipment you're not prepared to use. And I won't ask you to work unsafe hours just because the weather is changing."
"That sounds fair."
"Fair is the idea."
They sat at the barn workbench and discussed responsibilities. Hollis asked questions about what the applicant wanted to learn, explained the tasks available, and showed her the maintenance log. She did not promise a glamorous farming life. She described early mornings, dirty boots, careful records, and the patience required when machinery or weather interrupted a plan. The young woman listened with an eagerness that reminded Hollis painfully of herself at fifteen, following Roland through the shop and asking why he kept parts that looked worn out.
As they finished, the applicant noticed the old tractor through the open bay. "Is that the one from the newspaper?"
Hollis nodded.
"Did it really save the entire harvest?"
Hollis laughed. "No. It helped us begin. Neighbors brought the equipment that did most of the acreage. Then the main combine was restored. The tractor matters because it gave us another option and because it reminded me to ask for help."
The young woman considered that. "That's better than the story I heard."
"What story did you hear?"
"That you drove an ancient tractor through four hundred eighty acres in one night and made a big corporation pay you a million dollars."