Memories That Make Me Smile

                                                  

 Back in the mid 1960's in my last few years of school in Brownwood High School one of the cool things to do was go on a double date and drive to the steakhouse either in Buffalo Gap, Texas or Lowake, Texas. Both places had great steaks, a pleasant atmosphere, were about seventy something miles away and took about two weeks income to pay for the food. The old Santa Fe Railroad ran through Buffalo Gap (as a matter of fact it also ran not too far from Lowake) so I also frequented the steak house on occasion while working for the Grand Old Santa Fe Railroad. As a matter of fact there are a couple of stories in my book, A Train Of Thought, that involve Buffalo Gap.

Well, my reason for bringing this whole thing up is because Amber and I went to the Goldthwaite game yesterday. The game was being played in Tuscola (Jim Ned) and we got there early. I saw a sign that said Buffalo  Gap 7 miles and the memories flooded my poor old brain. We decided we had time to drive to Buffalo Gap and eat before the game. In the short drive, my mind became saturated with the memories of past visits. I could visualize the way things were, I could even smell the steaks.  As we came around the last curve coming into Buffalo Gap it became painfully obvious things had changed. The old BBQ Place was still there, but things looked different, the steakhouse was gone. But wait, I could still smell the teasing smell of steaks being cooked over a mesquite fire.

I looked across the way from where the old steakhouse had once been and there stood a charming oldish building with a sign saying Deutschlander's Freshwater Catfish Company and then a smaller sign saying Rib Eye Steaks served on Friday and Saturday.  There were cars parked all around the building and we circled along with a parade of other cars waiting for a spot to open up. I finally parked in what Amber said wasn't a parking spot. We were seated surprisingly fast and the eating began. The salad was huge, the onion rings were great, the grilled jalapeño poppers were delicious, the gigantic baked potato was tasty and then the unbelievable rib eye steaks! It didn't take long, I was barely able to breath and then came the large bowl of peach cobbler with three scoops of vanilla ice cream, I couldn't find a good place to stop eating.

Well, we were late for the game but we weren't hungry anymore and wouldn't be for several days. The Goldthwaite Eagles played a fantastic game and won, and we heard on the way home that the Brownwood Lions also won.  Things had changed from the good old days and it's not for me to say it was for the better or not. What I can say is that my memories haven't changed, memories that bring a smile to my face, memories that recharge my soul and keep it young.