Last week at Bucknell’s annual country fair, the unthinkable happened. 

Students, faculty and members of the community were lined up to go on a tractor ride around the town. It was the perfect afternoon for it, too, as the air was crisp and everyone was murmuring with excitement. However, what they didn’t realize was that their afternoon was about to get much more exciting.

Unbeknownst to the passengers, the hayride driver, Jim, was having a really tough week, and he needed something to cheer himself up. So, on the way to work that day, he decided he was going to drive the tractor to Hershey Park along with all of the passengers inside.

The passengers inside the tractor became suspicious as soon as the farm equipment entered the highway. 

“I think you made a wrong turn!” a paranoid passenger bellowed to Jim. 

But Jim didn’t respond. He had his mind set on one thing and one thing only, and that was getting to Hershey Park. It was the only thing that could turn this week around, he thought. 

When the tractor was only 10 minutes away from the park, Jim finally told the passengers his plan. Though some passengers were initially annoyed that they would be gone all day, they caved in after Jim promised to pay for their tickets.

When the tractor arrived at the park, it seemed eerily empty. That’s when it hit them: the park was closed for the day and there were no employees present. However, they had come all this way, and it was too late to turn around. One of the passengers on the tractor was also previously a Hershey Park employee, so he knew how to operate the rides. So, Jim and company snuck over the fence and entered the premises.

Three hours later, the gang was stuffing their faces with funnel cakes and gleefully hopping from ride to ride. Never had Jim been so happy in his entire life. It had been years since he had been on a roller coaster, as he was constantly working his miserable job as a tractor driver. It also helped that there were no lines to wait in, so he truly received the best possible experience despite the lack of employees. 

When it was getting dark, everyone mutually agreed that it was time to go home. They had their fun, and it was time to head back. However, before anyone could say anything, a screeching sound filled the air.

Sirens. The police were coming, and there was nothing they could do.

But Jim just smiled. He was happy again, and that’s all that mattered to him.