The Adventures of Me & My Shadow #19 in TX, OK, KS, NE
7/30/98
From Coleridge, NE, Hi Everyone! After the last letter was sent,
I did some more exploring on the air station and found the aircraft
hangar where I had worked and a lot of sidewalks and a few streets
that go nowhere today but I am sure they were in use 44 years
ago when NAS Corpus Christi was my world. This started me reminiscing
and I have to tell you about the lizards. I first got to know
lizards in 1943 on an island in the South Pacific, I find they
make good pets and they are good at controlling insects. When
I first arrived at NAS Corpus Christi I was married to Sarah,
we had a three year old, David, and not much money. I applied
for Navy housing on the base but had to wait for a house so we
rented a garage apartment in someone's backyard, it was cheap,
it was full of cockroaches and they were everywhere. At work one
day I was out on the flight line waiting for the planes to come
back. I watched a lot of lizards in the grass catching insects
and the thought crossed my mind that these lizards were just what
we needed to get rid of the cockroaches. I went to the Navy Exchange
and found a shoe box, caught a half dozen lizards about 4 or 5
inches long. When I got home I left the box on the front seat,
figuring on telling Sara of my plans for the lizards before bringing
them into the apartment. I got to watching TV and she decided
to go somewhere. When she got in the car she saw the box and couldn't
resist opening it to see what was in it. That was when I heard
the terrible scream, I ran out and saw her jumping around waving
her arms like she was fighting a monster. Once I got her calmed
down and told her of my plans she was all for it but by now all
but one lizard had decided to vacate the premises. The one remaining
lizard was setting on the back of the front seat looking for something
to do so I caught him and took him into the apartment. He went
right to work and I wanted to treat him right so I put a glass
of water on a widow sill so he could get a drink if he needed
to. (thought about it later and it was a stupid thing to do, lizards
can go without water for a long time) Well one morning I found
him in the glass dead, I guess he jumped in to commit suicide.
That was the end of my cockroach control. We moved onto the base
and left the cockroaches behind.
This trip started in late evening on 7/26/89 after the Iron Angels
banquet in Corpus Christi. After the meal, the raffle, the last
pictures were taken and the good bye's were said (about 10:00
PM, I find night driving to be a good option in hot weather).
I went out and woke Gus up and told him he was in charge and told
him to take us the shortest way to Lincoln, NE for a short visit
with aunt Ethel. It has been a few years since I last visited
her. In 1946 I leaned pretty hard on her and uncle Eugene, I stayed
with them for a while when I was attending an aviation school
in Lincoln to get my license to work on civilian aircraft. Uncle
Eugene passed away several years ago, I had a great time while
staying with them and their two boys Dick & Bob. From Lincoln
it will be on to Coleridge NE.
It was just too far out of the way to go the fastest way, it would
have taken us on interstates most of the way. I had filled the
tanks with $.89 gas on the base, got some for $.99 before leaving
Texas then saw some for $.89 in Oklahoma after I had filled up.
I think my days of cheap gas are over for awhile.
The sun was up before I got to Fort Worth ( I had stopped once
for a short nap) I stopped for gas, ate breakfast and did my morning
chores so I was feeling good when I headed through Fort Worth
in heavy rush hour traffic. I guess everyone else was feeling
good also and I actually enjoyed it. The traffic was moving at
just under the speed limit and as I looked ahead a turn signal
would come on and right away he could move over. It happened all
the time, no horn honking or speeding up. One time up ahead at
an exit, I see this car slowing down trying to make up his mind
if he wanted to exit, he was in that big V that splits the traffic,
the cars on either side of him slowed down also, leaving both
options open. He finally made the exit, I suppose that both of
the drivers behind him at some time had been there and done that,
I know I have, more than once, so they were patient with him.
What a wonderful way to start a new day!
In Oklahoma I found the same drought conditions as in Texas and
the same over 100 degrees temps. The grass alongside the road
had turned brown and in several places there had been grass fires
and it was black.
It was in this environment that I came upon a hitchhiker, he looked
like he needed me, so I pulled over and he came aboard. He was
thirsty and asked if I had any cold sodas in the refrigerator
he could buy? I said "no but there was cold water there if
he wanted some". He preferred soda so I told him I would
soon have to stop for fuel and he could get a soda.
Remember I told you all that I learn a lot from listening to what
people say. His name was Andy and I learned a lot in a short time
from Andy. He was from Mississippi, had been working there installing
insolation, he was 28 years old and had to quit his job as it
was affecting his health. In the past month his father had been
killed in a car wreck, he had been diagnosed as having leukemia
in it's late stage and was on his way to Great Falls, MT where
his sister lived to find out if she had a bone marrow match. The
doctors had told him that even with a bone marrow transplant his
chances were not good to be alive in 1999. If he took surgery
as an option he would lose both legs, 3 ribs and three vertebra
from his back. He had been on the road for one week and I was
the first driver to pick him up who was not drunk. I almost decided
to take him all the way to Great Falls but he said if I would
drop him off on I 70 in Kansas he would try to get to Denver and
take I 25 north. He told me a lot about leukemia and how he had
lived with it, not knowing was it was. He was in pain, I could
see it in his eyes.
We were almost to Kansas when I stopped for fuel, Andy got a soda
and some crackers to eat. It was then that my troubles began.
I tuned the key to start the engine and nothing happened, this
had occurred before and it took me a long time to figure out that
the starter solenoid must be the problem. I will get one while
I am here in Coleridge and put it on. This starting problem had
happened before, in real hot weather after driving slow for a
while. At first I thought it was the solenoid that I had installed
to lock the starter out so the engine could not be started while
I was plugged into shore power. After messing with it for a while
it would start and I would go on. This was the first time it had
failed to start after high speed driving. I told Andy I thought
it would start after cooling off. We waited for awhile and it
still would not start so I told Andy that I was calling my emergency
road service to have them tow it and have the starter solenoid
replaced. I recommended he should get back out on the highway
to find another ride. As I was waiting for the tow truck to arrive
I got it started but had to wait for the tow truck to sign his
ticket so he could collect some money for his trip to my location.
I sent the tow truck back and headed north again, Andy must have
gotten a ride, I never saw him again. When you think you have
problems just think of Andy and your problems will disappear.
After talking to him I again counted my blessings, I wish him
well.
The day after I arrived in Coleridge it rained, I of course took
credit for bringing the rain, the farmers needed it, I did not.
The crops in Kansas & Nebraska look very good after seeing
Texas & Oklahoma. The farmers here say they expect a good
harvest but the market is very low and looks like it will stay
that way, they can't win. If I tell them about Andy they should
feel better.
Till next time, Dallas or Dad if it fits. 7/30/98