A Journey Back

I took a sentimental journey today -- Sweetie and I are doing some traveling because we can -- we're retired! Today we drove through some little towns that were important in my life and/or in the lives of my parents/grandparents. We visited Morton, TX. My paternal grandparents lived here when my Dad was younger. My Aunt Cozy graduated from high school there. We have people buried there and some who aren't buried are living there.

When I was a little girl my Grandfather owned and operated a cafe in Morton. The second one was just across the street from the Cochran County Court House. I can remember the old men who used to sit under the trees in the courthouse square, playing dominoes. Some would whittle. My cousin told me it was called the "Spit and Whittle" group.

The building I think used to be the cafe is still there but is an arcade now. The big old trees that I used to play under are still there, behind the building. That was about 60+ years ago.

Today the downtown area is mostly boarded up -- I don't know if more than one or two businesses are still operation. Everything looks dead, dirty, and dreary. My cousin said that Morton has just about dried up and blown away. I believe him.

When I called and asked the cousins to meet us at the square for a brief visit I wondered if he would recognize me -- a lot of years have passed since we have seen each other. First words out of his mouth were..."You look like your Daddy." The years may have passed but the connection is still there. What a nice time we had talking about the old days!

After my Grandparents left Morton they farmed in a little NM community called Bluitt. Their address was Bluitt route but there was only one building left in the community -- one that was used as a community center/church. Eventually that building was moved to another small community named Milensand. We would visit that church anytime we visited my grandparents. When I was about 13 I was asked to play the hymns for a Sunday service. Boy, I was just awful! But, I was the only one who could play at all so they put up with me.

My grandparents lived on a farm that set back from the road about 1/4 - 1/2 mile. Their house was very small -- one summer all the kids came home and built them a second bedroom. That was wonderful because we had all been sleeping on the floor when we visited. Of course, there still wasn't space for the kids to have a bed but at least the parents & grandparents could.

I looked for the house. It wasn't there. I didn't really think it would be. After all, it wasn't much and that was a long time ago. The big surprise, however, was that every thing had changed. There were no farms along that road. None. There were only ranches. No fields were plowed or planted. No thickets of mesquite. The land has all been cleared and grass planted.
Today cattle graze. So sandy areas -- since the area isn't plowed anymore the sand doesn't blow and drift across the road. Totally different! What an amazing thing to see.

Then, a little farther along the road... I found Pool Tyler's house. The Tylers were friends of my grandparents. Their house is still standing and has been kept in good repair. That is about as amazing as the change in the landscape. I was last there about 55 years ago.

When we arrived at the road intersection that was "Milensand" I thought, "Ok, there is the post office -- now the church should be on the corner. AND IT WAS! I had tears in my eyes.
Not the same old building, of course, but the First Baptist Church of Milensand, NM still stands.
I wonder who who plays the piano now.

Then, at the tail end of this little journey back in time, we drove into Portales, NM, where my grandparents owned and operated FAT'S HAMBURGER AND CHILI KING CAFE. It was a very popular place -- on Sunday afternoons long-time customers would drive over from Morton to have lunch with him. He made really great chili, chicken fried steak, hamburger steak, chicken and dumplings, hamburgers, and my grandmother's fried pies were to die for!!
Today where his cafe stood is Juanita's Famous Mexican Food. Funny -- my mother's name is Juanita.

I'll tell you a little side note -- I mentioned to a friend that my grandfather had grown peanuts when he was still farming. Oh, she said, where were his orchards? Orchards? Yes, the peanut orchards. I explained that peanuts don't grow on trees -- they grow underground like potatoes.
Her eyes got big. "Potatoes grow underground?! I still laugh when I think about that.

Well, I hope you get to read this -- the computer tells me that they may not be able to post it.
We'll see, I guess -- here goes!