Such Is Live - The Condensed Version

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       I was born in Brownwood, Texas in the forty-ninth year of the twentieth century. I was already nine months old when I was born. Before I began school, we lived in Snyder, Texas for awhile then moved to Farmington, New Mexico next to an Indian Reservation. We had an irrigation canal that ran next to our house and the Indians would come through our yard to get water. They would bring me trinkets and let me ride on their shoulders. Mom would watch through the kitchen window, scared to death.

         

Then we moved back to Brownwood where we first lived in a duplex in the projects. Then we moved into a house adjacent to the Howard Payne campus. I can remember running the college students off the sidewalk while riding my little red tractor through the campus (till Mom found out). Then we moved to Woodland Heights. 1409 Oakland Drive to be exact, way out in the country. There were pastures in front and behind the house and I would often go hunting with my BB Gun (when I wasn't in trouble for shooting my brother or one of the neighbors).

         

I began my education at Woodland Heights Elementary with the help of Mrs. Martin, Mrs. Boysen, Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Branum, Mrs. Brenham, Mrs. Reese and Cheesy Chesser all under the guidance of the Principal, Morris Polk. I can still hear his voice echoing through the halls as he snapped his fingers and said, "Hold the phone, hold the phone!" His way of saying slow down and shut up.

         

I moved on to the Junior High School which was across the street from Linsey's Drive In, home of the best chili pies (chili poured into a small bag of Fritos). I was introduced to a different life made up of different people and for the first time made some uncomfortable but necessary adjustments.

         

Then there came Brownwood High School. I had my heart broken several times but over all

probably had the best years of my sub twenty-five year old life. It was here that I began to try and figure out who I really was, a process that lasted for years. I could go on and on about high school, but I'm not.

         

I went off to college in 1967. I traveled all the way to Tarleton State, or as we affectionately called it "Toilet State." I don't know why because it was a nice little school. For the first time I had friends who had never drank Brownwood water. More adjustments were made. I had several get togethers with old Brownwood friends. I had hoped they would never change, but they did. I guess I had too.

         

Howard Payne College was my next stop in 1968, back in Brownwood. Brownwood was my hometown, but was beginning to feel less like home. I spent the next three years going to school and working part time. I had my heart broken again and adjusted poorly. I almost got my diploma, but didn't. Instead I went to work full time. Right off the bat, a friend and I drove from Brownwood to Las Vegas in a 1969, Candy Apple Red, Chevelle Malibu, 396 Super Sport. We had a blast and I really felt "cool" for a while.

         

On June 25, 1971, I went to work for the Santa Fe Railroad. I thought making money would solve a lot of my problems, it didn't. I clawed my way though several lonely years. I had work buddies, drinking buddies and several acquaintances, but not many friends. I had apartments in Dallas, Cleburne and Brownwood all at the same time, so, the 'home' thing was kind of confusing. In Dallas, I lived across the street from Bachman Lake and Love Field. There were a lot of airline employees living there and it was confusing for this young country boy because each morning as I was leaving for work I would notice that the same people would be coming out of a different apartment each morning. I did date the Executive Secretary to the VP of Braniff Airlines for about two months and got to meet all the Dallas Cowboys at a party thrown by Braniff for the Cowboys. I also lived next door to an Ex Miss Oklahoma. I had a double date with her one time, she was the other guy's date, not mine.

         

In 1973 I met Amber while dating her cousin. Amber was quiet, reserved and beautiful. I was tired, confused and looking for a change. On Valentine's Day 1976 we were married and my life was heading in a better direction. With a new dedication and Amber's support I was promoted into a management position in 1978 and we were moved to Temple, Texas. We built our first home out in the country in Little River-Academy. My two girls, Shanon and Shaye, were fortunate to begin their educational process, both school-wise and otherwise, in this friendly, quiet, country atmosphere.

         

We were in the Temple area for ten years. As far as my railroad career was concerned, this was probably the best years of my nearly forty total years of railroading. The only down side was that I would be gone from home nearly every week traveling around the country. Amber was always strong and supportive and did an excellent job of raising the girls.

         

I was fortunate while working in Temple in that I had the best boss of my career. He was firm, fair, understanding, highly knowledgeable and he loved to fish. We worked long and hard hours all over the country, but when we were home he would always find time for fishing. We spent many hours out on the lake, some of it during Company time. He became somewhat of a second father figure to me. Then he retired and the railroad decided to shut down Temple Division offices and my family and I were transferred back to the Dallas/Ft worth Area. I traveled back to Temple as often as I could and stayed with my ex boss and his wife and he and I would fish from dawn to dark. Then in 1997 I received a call from his wife. She told me that he had gone fishing the day before and as usual came home, cleaned up his boat, charged his batteries, ate supper and went to bed early because the fish were biting and he was going out early the next morning. He died in his sleep that night. I don't fish much anymore.

         

I continued my journey up the corporate ladder with the railroad for awhile. However, the railroad began to change and the grand old Santa Fe Railroad merged with the Burlington Northern Railroad and there were more drastic changes. The railroad that I had grown up with and loved was fading. I knew that in order to survive I would have to change and did make a frail attempt at reprogramming my old school railroad ways. It was too painful and was taking its toll. The worst part about it was that it was weighing heavy on my family. I resigned my management position, exercised my seniority and returned to a union job after being away for eighteen years.

         

Amber and I became reacquainted and it was good. But the girls were grown and for the most part gone. Time passed, I made more adjustments and after eight knee surgeries, elbow surgery, back surgery, shoulder surgery and a major heart attack the railroad decided that it would be best if I were put out to pasture. On August 15, 2007, I worked my last day on the railroad.

         

Although at first my feelings were hurt and there was a little resentment on my part, it didn't take me long to figure out that I was born to be retired. Amber and I became even closer and I found that I could still be a father to with Shanon and Shaye and to top it off I became a proud grandfather of three -- Cole, Emily and Abbie.

         

I suppose we all take the same journey, it is the routes we take and our mode of

transportation that differs. My trip has fortunately been long and even though at times difficult, as I sit here today, I would have to sum it up as wonderful. I am who I am because I have absorbed bits and pieces of the people that were and still are part of my life. All that I have seen and shared lives in me and will be passed to those I love. I am content. I am happy....... I am home.