Tales from the Heart of Texas

All my kids and grandkids live in Texas; Round Rock, Texas.  My children Crystal and Keith’s home town is names after a stone in a creek north of Austin.  The rock served as a landmark on the historic Chisholm Trail.  The creek runs through a community park, founded by the famous baseball player, Nolan Ryan.

            To say the least, youth baseball leagues are big there and have taken a big hit due to COVID-19.  The players and their families form strong family ties. Hence a sweet story my daughter told me.  When one of my grandson’s team mates had to cancel his birthday party, the team came up with a plan.  They formed a birthday caravan.  One of the parents, a police officer, led it with flashing lights.  Another team parent photographed and documented the event for the birthday boy.  Pictures were taken of each car as they approached and unloaded gifts and birthday signs for the front yard.  Just one way to show how big Texan hearts can be. 

            Crystal also told me of wonderful efforts her and my son’s restaurants are making to serve their community and sad stories of the tragic effects on employees. Texas does things differently.  They are slowly shutting down, one city at a time.  And due to Texans owning lots of guns, some of her neighbors have been buying and hording bullets; to protect their property.

             Maybe I’m a Pollyanna, but I see Euclidian hearts matching-up more with stories like the baseball team’s caravan.