Life in West Texas

I sat in awe tonight at a local community center in Sealy, Texas. It was a benefit to raise funds for the local public library and the guest of honor was none other than my great cousin, Mr. Elmer Kelton, renowned author of Western fiction. We didn't get to chat for long, as he was hosting a book signing for his latest book, an autobiography, entitled "Sandhills Boy, The Winding Trails of a Texas Writer".

The last time I met Elmer, I was a teenager, sitting in the basement of the Houston Public Library in downtown, wondering why my parents had dragged me along. Needless to say, I'm glad they did, because it explains a lot about my family history.

Elmer Kelton is not an easy read. It's like he explained tonight - it's all about West Texas, cattle ranching, the oil business and all the inherent, unspoken jokes and suggestions that go with it. It explains a lot to me - why, for instance, my grandmother always had such a smart mouth, and perhaps why her oldest grand daughter (me) locks inside her some of that brashness and outspokenness, and lets it out in mini-meltdowns.

As I always tell my son, you can learn a lot about the present, by looking into the past. Cheers for a great weekend! Terre