Category: Crazy Times

Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, The Early DaysLeave a comment

On A Quest To Buy A Truck

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On the day after Thanksgiving in 1977 Kenny and I went to Cross Plains, Texas to look at a potential truck purchase to haul our equipment with. We started out from Smithwick. We were both there with our families where we were spending the holidays with our mom and dad. Being a 3 hour trip up to the northwest we left early in the morning and arrived in Cross Plains by 8:00 AM. We had seen an ad for this used truck dealer in a magazine. When we got there, they had a sea of trucks on the lot. We … Continue reading On A Quest To Buy A Truck

Crazy Times, Marble Falls and the Area Around it., My Friends, The Early Days1 Comment

The 13 Vehicle Accident In Marble Falls

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Usually you think of multi-car wrecks happening in Austin or Houston or Dallas. Like a pile up on the freeway. A little known or remembered fact is there was a wreck that happened right in Marble Falls, Texas that involved 13 vehicles back in the spring of 1970. I was involved. It was my senior year and I only went to school in the mornings and worked at a local car dealership in the afternoon. This one afternoon things weren’t to busy at the car lot so I ran home and grabbed a small trailer mounted air compressor and headed … Continue reading The 13 Vehicle Accident In Marble Falls

Crazy Times, My FriendsLeave a comment

The Precast Concrete Venture That Exposed Me To A Ponzi Scheme

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The year was 1991. I had spent 20 years digging ditches and I thought enough is enough. The economy was in the crapper. The great real estate boom of the 80’s was over and all the big water and wastewater lines had been constructed to the far reaches of the city and beyond in Austin. The future didn’t look so swell for our business. I needed a break. I thought it was time for some new scenery, so to speak. I had two groups of employees by that time. The old and the new. It was time for the old … Continue reading The Precast Concrete Venture That Exposed Me To A Ponzi Scheme

Crazy Times, My FriendsLeave a comment

Watch What You Say. You Never Know Who’s Listening

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I met a friend for breakfast every morning when were working together. When I got to the restaurant this one morning my friend Gerry wasn’t there yet but I took a seat at our regular table. One table away was a older man, very pleasant sort of fellow and we struck up a conversation about the first one thing and then the other. After a bit Gerry came in an took a seat. We chatted like we did every morning. Nothing real deep. The conversation got around to “did your in laws make it in last night” kind of talk. … Continue reading Watch What You Say. You Never Know Who’s Listening

Crazy TimesLeave a comment

The Mystery Of The Drunk Driver

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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 Of The Drunk Driver

Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, My FriendsLeave a comment

The Double Tailed Quarters

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There was a time in the 80’s when times were really good in the construction business. I was flying high, as was Kenny and our friend Coy. We all had our own businesses but we worked together at times, hiring each other’s companies to help out on projects. Kenny & Coy had a lot more in common with each other than with me. During that phase of their lives they each were without the benefit of a wife at the time or at least they acted like it. They worked hard and partied hard as the old saying goes. Now … Continue reading The Double Tailed Quarters

Construction, Crazy Times, The Early DaysLeave a comment

The Goat Shed Up On Possum Kingdom Lake

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There was a time between our first two sons being born and we had a project laying a 24″ water line up in Stephens County. Housing was hard to find so while driving around the area, I found The Possum Kingdom Fishing Camp. This was a place that was very active in the summers but pretty well shut down during the winter. I found the owner and made a deal to rent the whole place. There was a little 2 bedroom house in the center of the property with one bedroom cabins surrounding it. This was in December of 1975. … Continue reading The Goat Shed Up On Possum Kingdom Lake

Crazy Times, Kenny Lewis, Smithwick, The Early DaysLeave a comment

It Was The Day Before I Turned 16 Years Old

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The 1960s were most definitely a different time than now when it comes to the horsepower of trucks. Today our trucks operate with 400 to 600 horsepower. Back then the common range was 180 to 250 HP. We still hauled equally heavy loads over the same roads as today. Trucks were used much longer and maintained must less than by today’s standards. It was common when we were hauling a heavy dozer in hillier areas for me to go ahead in a pickup to assist. When we knew there was a grade too steep coming up, Kenny would pull over, … Continue reading It Was The Day Before I Turned 16 Years Old