Vincent
really liked to hand mow greens, especially when they were covered with
the morning dew. The mowing had an inherent rhythm, harmony and
choreography that Vincent found enthralling. He envisioned a dance
number in which four mowers and their charges danced across the green
with a precison, grace and fluidity that was always present in the unity
of all things. As he stood on the sixth green alone, with throttle in
hand, Vincent could hear the fiddler and caller commencing the dance:
The Hand Mow Two Step
Pull it to start, till you hear her purr,
Walk to the green, you grass cuttin' cur.
Ace of Diamonds, Jack of Spades,
Walk your Toro, now promenade.
It's tourney time, double cut them fast
The rollers are waitin', and the dew won't last.
Grab your Toro, and keep it straight
now twirl with the left, don't hesitate.
Throttle up and engage goes down,
drop the front and go to town.
Promenade cut eight then nine,
ten, eleven, twelve you're doing fine.
Front side up, big foot down,
Grab your Toro and swing 'em round.
All the way over, back with pride
Cut straight lines and your bonafide.
Hand over hand and heel over heel
The faster you cut, the better you feel.
Honor your Toro, your turnaround too,
Now wave at the cutter across from you.
Hurry up cowboy, don't cut slow,
You won't go to heaven if you don't do so.
Promenade, it's off you go,
cut your greens Mister, before they grow.
Clean up right, twice around the ring,
While the roosters crow and the birdies sing.
Four red Toros promenade the ground,
Get back home, hose 'em all a round.
Gas 'em up, and put 'em away
We'll do it again the very next day.
