The summer of 1982. We had recently graduated from high school and were full of excitement about starting college at Texas A&M in the fall. I worked in an auto parts store and really didn't care too much because I knew I was walking away in the not too distance future. At least one of our fish buds was a hay haulin' man during those summer months. 5 cents a bale is what they were paid and he used to sing, "She's a good hearted women in love with a hay-haulin' man". Since I wasn't into country music it was bit before I knew what Waylin Jennings was actually talking about.
When it was time to leave for school the plan was simple. My mom would drive me down to Texas in the Ford Granada and for my dad to fly down and meet us in Houston just before driving up to A&M. Seemed like a good plan. What I didn't know was that my mom had contacted every friend and family member between Sterling Park, and College Station and planned for us to stop in and stay...in some cases for a couple of days. The good news was that MTV was just springing to life that summer and wherever I could find a television I was planted in front of the set. The bad news was "An Officer and a Gentleman", had just been released to theaters and on the night of our first stop, in Bristol Tennessee, my mom and I went to the movies to see it together. This, of course, is not the right movie to view with you mom. Nevertheless, I survived.
Our next stop was Huntsville, Alabama where we had lived for four years in the late 60's and early 70's. We dropped in on both friends and family, and when with family I watched a lot of MTV. Following the time in Huntsville we drove to Shreveport Louisiana and stayed with friends. Then it was off to Houston where we again held up for a few days with friends and waited for my dad to arrive. About all I can remember is attending Church on Sunday and kneeling on some very painful knee boards, how crazy hot and humid Houston can be in mid August, and watching a lot of MTV.
When my dad arrived we jumped in the car for the 90 mile drive, through the scrub oak savanna, up the Brazos river and into College Station, my new home for the next five years.
Let's hear a little bit about how you showed up for FOW fish buds.
