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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

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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

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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

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Selling Firewood

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While it’s probably evident that I enjoy talking about myself, I have a few stories to tell that were told to me along the way. This one provided a good lesson, that proves up that things are not always as they seem. Years ago I had an accountant working for me that previously had worked for a wealthy gentleman over in Rockdale. GK was the accountant, Pete Coffield was his previous employer. Mr. Coffield was in almost any business where he could make money. His earlier years, during the Depression, he had a little money so he hired guys to … Continue reading Selling Firewood

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GK Worley And The Coffield Family

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Gk was my accountant for several years. I’ve mentioned him in a few of my other stories before. GK was so fast on a desk calculator, you’d think the keys were going to fly off. By the time I got to know him, he was pretty much an old drunk. He would shake a lot. But when he sit down and had a pen in his hand that man had the nicest handwriting of any person I’ve ever known. He had gone to a business school when he was young. He could do shorthand and took dictation at an amazing … Continue reading GK Worley And The Coffield Family

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A Petey Story

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Petey was the son of a very wealthy man from Rockdale. A story was told that several of the ladies of note in Rockdale payed the senior Pete Coffield a visit one day in his office to get a donation to do an improvement project at the library or perhaps a museum. They all came in and laid out there reason was for the visit. Mr. Coffield listened and was just about ready to order up a sizeable check when one of the lady’s said “one moment, before you decide on an amount. You may want to know that Petey … Continue reading A Petey Story

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Sitting On The Spit & Whittle Bench

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I had an old friend that worked over in Rockdale for many years. There were a bunch of the old fellows that sit on the bench down by the Depot contemplating the worlds problems. When man first landed on the moon, they all decided it was all made up. “There ain’t no way they really sent a man all the way to the moon” on of them remarked. Another swore he’d been to that exact place they were showing on TV. “It’s out in ol’ such & such’s pasture over in Pettibone”, a community just about 20 miles north of … Continue reading Sitting On The Spit & Whittle Bench

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This Is How “The Angora Chronicles” Got Started.

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The Angora Chronicles being almost 4-1/2 years old, I thought for the ones that are newer to this group I’d explain how it all came about. I started writing stories about growing up and the people I have encountered in business and throughout my adult life about 15 or 20 years ago. These stories were just something that I could leave behind for my kids and grandkids. Occasionally I would email one to a friend, especially if they were involved or knew the participants. Several years ago I started a FaceBook Group that is called -“and then there were Three … Continue reading This Is How “The Angora Chronicles” Got Started.

My Friends, The Early DaysLeave a comment

A Trip To Pennsylvania

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The week I graduated from high school, May 1970, I was invited to take a trip up to Schuylkill Haven, Pennsylvania. There was a slight catch to it, the trip wasn’t going to pay much or maybe nothing at all. But all expenses were paid for. There were 5 of us traveling together. Price Allen “Pat” Taylor, a MF school classmate, a year older than me, Kenny and Vickey Jackson, and a gal by the name of Martha Rucker. Pat and I were making the trip just to help transfer vehicles, but the other 3 were moving there to be … Continue reading A Trip To Pennsylvania

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