Thursday, April 12, 2007

What is the message of Tombstone?

Yet another day in Tombstone that I hadn't counted on. What is it about this town that I have spent five days in it on a three week trip??? The winds up on I-10 are really too strong to drive this "high-profile vehicle." So---we make do. Take Byrdie out for some ball throwing and to stop the motion sickness. Back to RV to watch ER re-runs and of course, the internet so I can blog and play hearts.

I've noticed the names of various motor homes. They all sound so big, so aggressive, so macho! Arrow, Cougar, Quantum, THOR, Prowler, Patriot. And then there's ours--Minnie Winnie. It just screams, "Here comes Granny!!!" Other rigs have big rotts or shepherds or vicious chihuahuas riding along--Granny here has her Labradoodle. A woman at the rest stop yesterday had a leashed pit bull and she had to ask me how much longer Byrdie was going to be off-leash before she brought her dog in! The implication was that her pit was going to have Byrdie for lunch.

Does anyone remember the hymn "Beneath the Cross of Jesus?" The second half of the phrase was "I fain would take my stand." Well, back in Llano I found where Fain had taken her stand. Right out there on Highway 17 was a big sign that read FAIN'S HONEY STAND. That's one of life's puzzles solved. Fain has taken her stand in Llano, Texas.

This rambling has advantages. I get to scatter think and no one has to read it! I was remembering the chorus to a country/western song I heard in Texas--

That's mah girl
Mah whole world
But that ain't mah truck
.

It doesn't get more country than that!

I was disappointed that I didn't get to see even one Texas Ranger. Maybe it's just a TV myth but I'd hoped they were still riding around. My other disappointment with Texas was that all the land seemed to be fenced. No way you park your car and just wander around the beautiful countryside. My guess is that it wouldn't be real smart to do that--especially after the uptight dude on the blue bonnet loop.

The CD player in the rig doesn't work--it has eaten my favorite Emmy Lou Harris CD. I've tried tweezers--everything to get it to give up the disk but no luck. I got this little gizmo--it's an old tape cassette that goes in the tape player on the dash and then plugs into a Walkman or any other mp3 or CD player. Amazingly, the CD then plays through the truck speakers! These hi-tech things are most amazing.

I only had two observations about New Mexico. When we traveled old 66 when I was a child, I remember seeing Indians walking along the road, single file. When you're on the Interstate, you don't see much of anything. I never did see any Indians anywhere. I remember the women with their long, full skirts and bright scarves and the men with turquoise belt buckles and black felt hats.

The other small, insignificant thing was at a McDonald's. I know the culture holds up being a burger-flipper as the lowest rung of the career ladder. However, shouldn't even a burger-flipper be able to get the round meat pattie on the round bun??? Mine was only half on the bun!! Maybe this wouldn't bother most people but it really bugged me. All the guy had to do was put a round piece of meat on a round bun and get it approximately within the target area--and he couldn't do it!!! And then the real corker--the buns were both tops--no bottoms. And one bun was sesame and the other was plain. The burning question?? Which side is up?? Everything about the burger just seemed wrong. I'm glad that flipper is not in charge of troop movements in Iraq. And I'm really glad I'm not that poor guy's boss!!


Enough rambling. With some weather luck, I'll be able to leave Tombstone yet again and head on back to California.

1 comment:

mickey said...

ok grilfren, this cell phone tag is just not working for me !! you called the other nite, I got nothing but nothing !! I call you ,you don't answer, it's fri. now, gina just left with those brats of hers, or I should say the little one is, eeegads, i'm too old for this stuff, took care of Mallory all week, then the visit, my back went south on me, don't know why, i need to go away to a pricey spa, where the hell are you???