Miracles Happen

Miracles Happen

Raymondville Water Tower

October 27, 2017

Brother Scott Sterling reached into his pocket and found that his wallet was missing. He and my brother John had just driven 25 miles from John’s home in Port Mansfield to Raymondville to pick up a few groceries and visit an ATM. Without his wallet, it would be necessary to drive back to Port Mansfield to retrieve it, return to the HEB store then drive back home again — a trip of 75 miles. But, the solution to this problem was obvious. They could use the credit cards or cash in brother John’s wallet.  So, John reached into his pocket and — behold, he too had forgotten his wallet. "Maybe I placed it in another pocket," he reasoned. A careful search of all pockets and the seat of Scott's F 150 pickup also yielded no wallets. Impossible! These two guys never left home without any money -- not to mention their driver's licenses. And Scott didn't even have his Texas passport — being from Georgia and all.

So, there they sat, disconsolate in the parking lot of the Raymondville HEB store while a pack of about 10 dogs of various sizes and mixed-breeds loitered unleashed while waiting for their owner to emerge from the store. Then, a miracle happened. John received a phone call from his brother Winfield. “John, we are in Raymondville and are wondering if we could pick up some groceries before we drive out to your house in Port Mansfield.”

“Well, no,” John replied. “Linda has lunch planned, and she is expecting you and Pat, sister Peggy and her son Sterling to show up. But, we do have one small problem — we forgot our wallets, and we need to pick up a birthday cake to celebrate sister Peggy’s birthday. Where are you?”

“We just drove over from Edinburg, passed the HEB store and are in a parking lot a couple of blocks away,” Winfield replied. And, would you believe it? I left my wallet someplace too and can't find it.”

Of course, John knew that Winfield was just kidding, so they agreed to meet at the HEB. A satisfactory cake was found for Peggy, and the dogs wagged their tails as the cake passed by.

But really, what are the odds that Scott and John would both forget their wallets and that Winfield would show up at the exact time to save the brothers from an agonizing, long drive?

Maybe miracles really do happen.

 

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Hog-Dog World Series

Hog-Dog World Series

November 22, 2017

OK, it may not actually be a “World Series” but it is claimed to be the home of the largest hog-dog trials in the world.  Oh yes, a hog-dog trial is the use of dogs in hunting wild hogs.  The sport was made famous in Louisiana by Earl Long — the three-time elected, reprobate, governor of Louisiana who loved to hunt wild hogs for food and fun.

Our “high adventure” tour had taken us by accident to the small Louisiana town of Winnfield where we decided to explore the town.  We found the Earl Long City park where at statue old Earl stands, then we found the city museum in the restored Louisiana and Arkansas Railroad depot.  We were lucky to find it open because it is usually closed for much of the week.  Three local volunteer ladies were busy inside preparing for some holiday event and they seemed genuinely happy to have visitors.  We were the only visitors so we got their almost undivided attention. 

They claimed that their museum is one of a kind — a “Political Museum and Hall of Fame”.  The walls were lined with niches with each containing information and various doodads about each politician.  They attempt to cover almost all major political figures in Louisiana history.  It is a remarkable achievement for such a small-town museum.  But, what is even more amazing is that this small town produced there Louisiana governors — Earl Long, Huey Long and Oscar Allen.

The largest displays are those of Earl and Huey Long.  Earl with his campaign car and Huey’s office.  You can even push a button and hear Earl’s voice as he talks Louisiana politics.  Fascinating stuff! 

Anyway, our visit triggered my interest in the Longs.  All I remembered was that they had some sort of reputation as political rascals.  So, now I’m reading “Huey Long’s Louisiana Hayride” by Harnett Kane with a forward by Sam Jones.  To say that Kane and Jones are not big fans of Huey Long would be a massive understatement.  Under Huey Long, Louisiana “became a dictatorship not only in theory but in fact.”  Huey boasted that he bought the Legislature “like a sack of potatoes.”

Amazing the kind of stuff you can find while wandering around the country.  Maybe we will even return to Winnfield for the Hog-Dog world series at the fairgrounds in the fourth full weekend of March.  Maybe!   

http://www.lapoliticalmuseum.com/virtualtour.html

 

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