The Mystery

It was at dusk on Sunday evening 12/15/13. As I drove north on I35 nearing Hillsboro, Texas I had an encounter with an apparent drunk driver. In front of me I saw a white S-10 Chevrolet pickup (an older vehicle – late 90’s model) that was all over the road. Traffic was heavy. He took an 18 wheeler completely to the shoulder of the highway. I decided to hold back to observe. The pickup continued to drive erratically. I dialed 911. When the dispatcher answered, I gave her the details that I was observing. By that time we had passed … Continue reading The Mystery

The Colorful Characters Of My Youth

This Doesn’t Need To Be A Competition between the towns, you know. Even though most everything escalated into a rivalry of some degree back in my growing up years when it came to Burnet and Marble Falls. I was sitting around thinking about some of the real characters that were in Marble Falls when I was growing up. I just don’t think they make characters nowadays, like they used to. Did Burnet have any of these people that left a mark on the town like Marble Falls did? Or did they all end up in the south part of the … Continue reading The Colorful Characters Of My Youth

The Mystery Caller

Woody was getting hard of hearing and even a little cranky when it came to answering and talking on the phone. The Woody I’m referring to was our office manager back in our early days in the construction business. In fact he was our head accountant also. Okay, Woody was the only person we had in the office and the only one we needed. He did it all, when it came to answering the phone, payroll, our payables and receivables and keeping the tax man happy and insurance all straight. He did then what now takes a whole office full … Continue reading The Mystery Caller

Twist & Turn

The summer of 63 had us spending part of the summer in Gatesville, Texas where Cec was working as a general superintendent for Holland Page Construction, installing a new sewer system all around town. The apartment we stayed in while in Gatesville that summer was really a duplex with another smaller unit that was directly above each lower unit. The upstairs had a set of stairs that you used that went up the outside, along the side. Very reminiscent of the way you went up to enter Doc Adam’s place on Gunsmoke. Kenny Jackson (or Big Kenny as most everyone … Continue reading Twist & Turn

John Kemper’s Corvette

Don’t remember if it was our Junior or Senior year of high school but John Kemper bought a “59” Corvette. He decided it needed a new paint job. A Pearl White was the color was selected. A very difficult 2 part epoxy paint was used. He made arraignments to use the old building at Main and 2nd (currently a Title Co) as a makeshift paint shop. With nothing other than a bunch of teenagers (about a 1/2 dozen of us) the car was stripped down, sanded and painted in a very dimly lighted room. I had painted a few cars … Continue reading John Kemper’s Corvette

The Andice BBQ(As told by Kenny Lewis)

THIS IS A STORY I’VE STARTED TO TELL SEVERAL TIMES, BUT REALLY THOUGHT KENNY COULD DO MORE JUSTICE TO IT SINCE HE WAS THERE. It has been noted previously that Cec was one of the toughest men I ever knew. He had a threshold for pain like no other. In the winter of 1986 it was predicted to fall below freezing and stay that way for several days. I had just built a new house between Georgetown and Andice. I suggested to he and mom that they close everything up at Smithwick and come stay with us for a few … Continue reading The Andice BBQ(As told by Kenny Lewis)

Is It Possible That Neutrogena Broke Into My House?

When my Mother in Law moved in with us a while back, we had to move things around to accommodate the situation. One of those changes was me taking over a guest bathroom. Occasionally when people stay, toiletries will get left behind. Without divulging too much about myself, I’ll tell you I shave in the shower. I rigged up this shower with everything like I had in the master bath. A mirror and a small rack for toothpaste, tooth brush and razor. Somewhere along the way a tube of Neutrogena Sensitive Skin Shaving Cream showed up in the tray where … Continue reading Is It Possible That Neutrogena Broke Into My House?

The Race Was On

This is the story of one of the greatest car races ever held in Smithwick. His name was Curtis Brown Parker. Brown Parker was how he was known. Brown was the person my Dad looked up to more, maybe than anyone else. Brown was several years older that Cecil Lewis. I believe that Brown help him become a man in more ways than one in his early days in Smithwick, Texas.However in the 1940’s Brown and Eula moved to California, the same as a lot of people did during that period of time. They operated laundries in and around Carpentaria, … Continue reading The Race Was On

I’m Living Right This Morning

A call came in on my cell phone. It was “Gerald” wanting to talk about my Medicare Coverage. Had that strange sounding voice. My wife was sitting here beside me in the living room and we are drinking coffee. She doesn’t like listening to me cutting up with these people on the phone. So I held off a few moments deciding whether I should just hang up or whether to go in the other room to talk my usual shenanigans. Then Gerald asked if this was Ronald and Madeline. It was really Geraldine, a lady up in DFW that was … Continue reading I’m Living Right This Morning

Brown Parker’s Well

Brown Parker and wife Eula moved back to Texas after spending 3 decades or so out in California, to a couple of acres down on our old home place on the hill overlooking the Lake. He went up to Marble Falls and bought a building that needed to be moved. He set it up on stilts the way it had been in town, so it would improve his view. Many of you may remember this building. In the earlier 60s it was a snack bar that Mr. Seals and Mr. Hill had built at the mini-golf place. To have water … Continue reading Brown Parker’s Well