Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Adventure - Past and Present
Meeting my two sisters and Doris, a friend of Peg's, in Quitaque for a hen party turned out to be a great adventure. We quickly adopted Doris as a new sister and spent a couple of hours Friday night trying to sing four-part Gospel harmony. Saturday was Bob Wills Day in Turkey, maybe ten miles to the east, and we were there that morning in time for the parade down Main Street. Several former members of the Texas Playboys (Bob Wills' band), occupied one of the floats, and there were the usual pretty girls, kids on 4-wheelers, antique vehicles and horseback riders. One of my classmates from the Flomot Senior Class of 1954, Ronald Clay and his wife Wadie, my special buddy in high school sports, drove two old John Deere tractors, affectionately known as Popping Johnnies back in the '40s.
At noon we arrived at the Bob Wills Center, the old gym where we often played basketball in olden times, to enjoy the Old Fiddlers Contest, which had more young-uns than elders, all playing their hearts out. Then out to the football field for a concert by the afore-mentioned Texas Playboys, still making foot-stomping music. Rainy weather chased a few off to their cars, but we native Texans were well prepared with an umbrella, blankets, straw hats, sun glasses, water, food - all of which we needed before the music stopped.
A younger group of pickers, Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys, played for the dance that night, a very enjoyable group of musicians even though they had no keyboard or guitars except for the electric bass. The well-behaved audience had a toe-tapping good time.
The hen party broke up on Sunday after church services at Flomot, Peg returning Doris to her home in Lubbock, then on to Pecos in far West Texas. Mary headed for a daughter's home in Amarillo for a short visit before her trip back to San Angelo. I did some cleaning of the borrowed house and yard in Quitaque, visited my son's family in Lubbock a few days, then returned for the Country Music Jamboree Saturday.
With storm clouds looming in the area, the jamboree site was switched from the renovated Gem Theater downtown to the gym, where there was room for the delicious brisket-bean-potato salad supper without risking disaster in the open patio next door to the theater. Hopefully, a few of these fund raisers will pay for a new roof soon and do away with that problem.
After I presented Lawana Cruse's poem/song, an old school friend in the audience asked one of the ladies if that was really the Cora Gail Gunn he went to school with. She took me back and "introduced " us, and even then it was hard to recognize Rex Johnson without his bright red hair and thick glasses. We had a wonderful visit, making the long drive and longer wait for the jamboree worth every minute and mile. I loaded him up with copies of my books and promised to let him know the next time brother Jerry is back in the area. They had played sports and music together in those bygone days that become more precious through the years.
Every time I attend the jamboree, the entertainment seems to keep improving. It's much more fun to me than listening to professionals, especially with several old friends in the audience and band. I came home rejuvenated and anxious to get back to my normal routine. The past is fun to visit, but the here-and-now is a constant adventure.
Cora Gail Trent
www.cgtrent.com
At noon we arrived at the Bob Wills Center, the old gym where we often played basketball in olden times, to enjoy the Old Fiddlers Contest, which had more young-uns than elders, all playing their hearts out. Then out to the football field for a concert by the afore-mentioned Texas Playboys, still making foot-stomping music. Rainy weather chased a few off to their cars, but we native Texans were well prepared with an umbrella, blankets, straw hats, sun glasses, water, food - all of which we needed before the music stopped.
A younger group of pickers, Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys, played for the dance that night, a very enjoyable group of musicians even though they had no keyboard or guitars except for the electric bass. The well-behaved audience had a toe-tapping good time.
The hen party broke up on Sunday after church services at Flomot, Peg returning Doris to her home in Lubbock, then on to Pecos in far West Texas. Mary headed for a daughter's home in Amarillo for a short visit before her trip back to San Angelo. I did some cleaning of the borrowed house and yard in Quitaque, visited my son's family in Lubbock a few days, then returned for the Country Music Jamboree Saturday.
With storm clouds looming in the area, the jamboree site was switched from the renovated Gem Theater downtown to the gym, where there was room for the delicious brisket-bean-potato salad supper without risking disaster in the open patio next door to the theater. Hopefully, a few of these fund raisers will pay for a new roof soon and do away with that problem.
After I presented Lawana Cruse's poem/song, an old school friend in the audience asked one of the ladies if that was really the Cora Gail Gunn he went to school with. She took me back and "introduced " us, and even then it was hard to recognize Rex Johnson without his bright red hair and thick glasses. We had a wonderful visit, making the long drive and longer wait for the jamboree worth every minute and mile. I loaded him up with copies of my books and promised to let him know the next time brother Jerry is back in the area. They had played sports and music together in those bygone days that become more precious through the years.
Every time I attend the jamboree, the entertainment seems to keep improving. It's much more fun to me than listening to professionals, especially with several old friends in the audience and band. I came home rejuvenated and anxious to get back to my normal routine. The past is fun to visit, but the here-and-now is a constant adventure.
Cora Gail Trent
www.cgtrent.com
