What a difference a place makes. I was thinking about an incident that happened in Texas in the early 90's. We were living in Kerrville, Texas at the time and I was going to school and still teaching seminary. I don't know if I was coming home from a final or from a seminary meeting late at night by myself but it was raining hard until Boerne and then it got really foggy - like hard to see foggy. I was seriously thinking about turning around and staying at my sister's in San Antonio, when suddenly a big white 'Texas' sized pickup truck with foglights passed me and settled in at a reasonable distance in front of me as if to guide me. Almost immediately the exact same make and model was behind me but with their low-beams on. They kept me safely cradled from just outside of Boerne until my turnoff in Kerrville (where miraculously the fog was not as bad). I was content to stay between them and they seemed happy to let me stay where I was. If that had happened here I would have been so spooked I would have turned off at the nearest exit and called the police. I think if it happened in Texas today, I would still be content to let them direct me. It is just the difference of the place and the people in them. Maybe I am too naive about Texans and have a fanciful idea about them. I hope not. Since I doubt I will be in that situation again it doesn't matter. Those two trucks will always be my 'angel trucks'. I am grateful to the phantom drivers for getting me home that night. I have other experiences where drivers and remarkably usually trucks have helped me and guided me in bad weather in Texas. I will always be grateful to them. But then 'pick-up truck' drivers in Texas are different than in other states. A truck is usually a necessity in Texas and not a status symbol. Therefore the people that drive them are usually people that are quick to help and salt of the earth. I love Texas and I love Texans.
I was talking to someone that had recenlty visited Texas from Rhode Island. They had never been out of New England before and I was anxious for their report on Texans. They told me that Texans were way too friendly! They wished that people in Texas did what people in New England did and left everyone alone! I thought it was sad that she was visiting such a wonderful place and all she wanted was to be left alone. For you Texans - don't change. Stay friendly and don't ever leave anyone alone. They may not know it but we need people like you!
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2 comments:
Two of those pick up drivers in Texas are Carl and David. While silly, they are both good people. Texans are so friendly. I lived in Minnesota and it was just different. They were not as warm in their nature. Maybe it was the cold weather they lived in. Haha.
I remember you talking about that incident. I think I was in 4th or 5th grade. I remember when our car was acting strange in Comfort and we called for help. before they got there, between 10 and 15 cars had stopped to see if they could help. When I broke down in Utah (twice) it was not as easy to get help. I still consider myself a Texan.
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