Crop-dusting with a helicopter sometimes requires that you be very resourceful. One day I was on my way back to the airport to meet my loading truck and get fuel when I realized that I was not going to make it. I just did not have enough gas to get there.

Knowing that most good size farmers have their own gas pumps I started looking for one where I might get enough gas to get me to the airport.

I spotted a large white wood-frame farm house with a gas pump behind it and landed. I knocked on the door and an elderly woman, probably in her early nineties, answered the door. I asked if she would sell me a couple of gallons of gas so I could get to the airport. She leaned around me and looked at the helicopter sitting in her backyard and said. "Can't sell you any gas BUT, if you will give me a ride around the farm I'll give it to you."

As surprised as I was that a woman of her age would even think about flying, much less in a crop-duster's helicopter, I quickly agreed. I pumped the gas and then I helped her into the right seat which had no cushions, only a seat-belt. I strapped her in and off we went. I flew her all around her farm. She was like a kid in a candy store. I could not believe she was enjoying the flight as she was. After she had seen everything she wanted to see I dropped her off and headed for the airport wondering all the way just what her husband was going to say when he came home that evening and she told him a helicopter landed in the backyard and took her flying.