BILL: Travis Street Grille Revisited

A couple of months ago, when we still lived in Texoma, Melissa and I decided to go out to eat. We left out of Whitesboro, east on Highway 56. On the way, we passed the famous farm with hundreds of miniature horses on overgrazed, almost barren land. A couple of cows in a pen smaller than a one bedroom house with no grass, buried up to their knees in muck right outside a local business. The sides of the road are papered with plastic and litter from the many trash trucks which deliver their loads to the new dump just outside of Whitesboro. No one cares about the litter all over the road, or the trucks that spill their loads on the way. No one cares about the animals with no food. The sides of the highway are lined with trees hacked to the point which they looks as though they belong on an alien landscape. I guess this matches the trash along the road. It truly gives Texoma the alien image I have come to expect.


We finally make it into town and make it downtown to our restaurant of choice. Again entering into this interesting piece of Sherman history. Like I have said before the building itself is interesting to walk through. Player piano fills the atrium with music as the day just gains a lazy haze inside. There is no rush, no stress here. Kelly Restaurant upstairs does decent business. Clothing stores and knick knack shops line the lower level. The shoe shine boy waits patiently in his corner. But right inside the door is where we stop.


Home of the Travis Street Grille. The lobby displays the history of Sherman. From the now defunct baseball team to the shots of downtown before it was what it is today. But we are not here for the ambiance, so we quickly get into line. Our great friend Clarence comes out from behind the counter and greets each of us with a smile and a hug. The type of service one can get from a friendly place like this.

Everytime I walk in through the door, I am always hypnotized by the massive, juicy burgers served here. I get lost in the long list of different burgers offered. But today, I had a mission. A mission I wasn't going to fail. And that was to check out the Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich. We placed our order and took our seat. It takes a little longer than it would running into a McDonald's or Jack In The Box, but believe me, it is worth the wait. During our wait, we got to spend quality time with Clarence and his family, looking at pictures of Clarence's younger days, and watching the crowd go by.

Our order arrived, Lissa's huge cheeseburger fixed exactly the way she likes. When you order extra mustard and pickles at most places, you get three to five pickles instead of the two to three which normally comes with the burger. Here, extra pickles got a layer which rivaled the burger itself. Mustard came where it was dripping off the burger. Exactly the way Lissa wishes other places would do. We got our huge basket of onion rings, and another huge basket of fried pickles. Like I said before, I hate pickles, but there is something almost addictive about the fried pickles sold at Travis Street Grille.


Over the many times I have entered this place, I have always gotten the burgers. Super-sized, juicy burgers with fresh trimmings, beautifully cooked. I have always been afraid of the sandwiches, because most places serve you a small sandwich, and I usually end up leaving the restaurant hungry. But I heard so many rave reviews of the Travis Street Grille's Philly Cheesesteak, I decided to try it out. I was completely surprised when the sandwich arrived. The bread was barely visible over the meat, onions, peppers, and mushrooms piled on top of the bun. The sandwich was almost impossible to pick up, but I managed a way. Every bite almost melting in my mouth. For the first time, a sandwich filled me up, and I was able to take home leftovers.


It has always been a great enjoyment to eat at the Travis Street Grille. I have never found anything that was half way done. There is nothing on the menu that isn't made with a lot of heart and passion. The family who runs this place really knows the best flavor combinations, and are willing to try anything. Daily specials prove this. It has always been a pleasure to go here to eat.


I think back to my last couple of trips to Galveston. Melissa and I took her parents down to Galveston to spend the day. Checking out the grounds and the Titanic exhibit at Moody Gardens. We went down the Seawall, which was crowded with swimmers and surfers. We tried to go eat at The Spot, which is another place known for it's burgers. The place was packed. No where to park in the surrounding three blocks. No where to sit. People hanging out over the railing.


I knew in moving here, we gained many new places to eat, but they do not come close to the bond we have with Clarence and the Travis Street Grille. They will always be the one thing I miss about Texoma, and the only thing I miss. I wish they could go along with us. I know they could turn that hungry crowd at the beach looking for places to eat into a small wonderland. Spread their happiness to the millions who cross the Seawall each year. "Seawall Boulevard Grille and Tiki Bar." I smell a small fortune, Clarence. There is a restaurant on the Seawall for sale.


I am sorry you are not going with us, Clarence, but you will be there in heart. And we wish you all the best. Keep the restaurant going strong. With food that good, you cannot fail anywhere. You and the Grille will be missed. You are a true friend.

BILL'S: Gulf of Sherman Conspiracy Theory

Back in December, I posted what has become my most famous blog. The revelation of the existance of the Gulf of Sherman. And it is the Gulf of Sherman, not the Gulf of Texoma like some people have been thought. The Gulf of Texoma is north of us. That is something I have found. The place where everyone goes to think they are big shots. No the Gulf of Sherman is the elusive port to the south of our area. The area which is notorious for refueling hurricanes and departure areas for 4-story tall cruise ships. The one thing Wal-mart managers are afraid of. That is the Gulf of Sherman. I have kept my search going for this elusive body of water. And I think I have discovered one of the largest cover-ups since the Roswell crash. Yesterday, Melissa and I were headed out of Whitesboro towards Gainesville. That is where I found my largest clue....

As we rounded the corner of Highway 56, at the intersection of Highway 82, there it was!!!

By the time I got my camera and got back, the traffic had pushed most of this out of the way, but it was clear! I quickly recognized the substance covering the road.

There was no doubt! I had come across the largest clue in what had to be the biggest burial of truth since the Kennedy assassination. Yes, just like the magic bullet, what seems to be impossible had to be true! The evidence was right there in the middle of the road!

The truth is simple. They know I know! They know I have been looking, asking questions! They knew I was getting close! So, in order to not have to admit defeat, Texoma joined forces with Wal-Mart! While I was working this last weekend, I noticed many Wal-Mart associates and managers running around in plain clothes, undercover.... They thought I would fall for the whole "Oh, we are doing an Earth Day Project." Like I would fall for the whole, "Yes, these four dying trees we are going to plant will save the world!" speel they delivered. Come on! The polar ice caps are melting! For the first time in history, there is a cruise line that is going from the Pacific to the Atlantic Ocean without going through the Panama Canal. They are going through the what used to be the ice cap at the North Pole. There is no way in hell four trees will save the world!!!! I am not falling for it. No, the truth is out and I know it! All these Wal-mart people were not saving the environment! They were moving the Gulf of Sherman! That is the truth. It is more believable than thinking Wal-mart is really trying to do something good, or that four trees that couldn't even sell on clearance prices will really do anything to save the environment. No, what is can be believed more is that Wal-mart and the officials in Texoma picked up and moved the Gulf of Sherman to hide it again, and during it's moving, some of it fell off the truck, just outside of Whitesboro. Smooth thinking, but I haven't given up. If nothing else, this has reignited the fires within me, and the search is back on. Yes, oh yes, I will find this exclusive place, or I will move away without even trying!

LISSA’S: Depression is rage spread thin.

Hell.. this is my hell... I hate Texoma and I want out. I’ve wanted out for years now. 4 years later, I am still sitting here in Whitesboro.. Texoma. I can’t get out one way, but I’m about to take another way out of this.. my hell. Soon, oh yes, soon.














































"You know it ain’t easy
For these thoughts here to leave me
There’s no words to describe it
In French or in English
Well, diamonds they fade
And flowers they bloom
And I’m telling you
These feelings won’t go away
They’ve been knockin’ me sideways
They’ve been knockin’ me out lately
Whenever you come around me
These feelings won’t go away
They’ve been knockin’ me sideways
I keep thinking in a moment that
Time will take them away
But these feelings won’t go away."

BILL'S: Disposable Love, Disposable Life, Another WIHAT

Years ago, the things you bought had meaning. They had value. Now for convenience, we buy things without meaning, everything is disposable, and we now live in a disposable society. But the more I look at it, it is not just the way we live, but the way we run our lives. Everything is disposable and we don't care. And from what I have seen, people in Texoma take disposable to all new levels.


To start my story off, let me start with a friend of mine. One of my closest friends. This is a guy who will do anything for a friend. Just with me, he has helped me when my times were extremely tough. If it weren't for him, my family wouldn't have had a Thanksgiving or a Christmas this year. He has tried to help me better myself for my family. And this is just me. I can't imagine how he is with friends he has known longer. All I know is that this is the type of person I would have been honored to serve with during my term in the Army. The one thing I don't understand, all the women in his life have claimed their undying love, but this is a story only in Texoma. Recently, he met "the one" and she said that she felt the same. They worked through many problems, mainly regarding her ex-husband, who she was still sharing a house with. But they swore they wanted to be together, and she told him that he was the one she wanted. The times they were together was magical. They made plans to just pack up and move away to Austin together, to start a family, get married and live together happily ever after. Almost a fairy tale. But then again, this is Texoma, and happy endings are not allowed. Less than 24 hours after making their blissful arrangements, my friend goes over to her house to pick her up. Low and behold, she is in bed with her ex-husband. She tells my friend that she decided to go back with him. Both families were in shock. No warning, and many questions left unanswered. Did she ever really mean it, or was she just using him for thrills? How could someone throw away "the love of a lifetime"? All I know, this just shows how people live and love in a disposable society. It is only useful until you can toss it aside. No care what anyone else thinks, or feels. And this is just one story in a forest of tales. He is not the only one. I have heard story after story after story about how the women up here throw their marriage vows to the wind, until they need to act good. Then they put on the veil of good behavior until they can throw away their vows to play with the next guy's emotions.


Of course, it doesn't stop there. I have heard stories of women in the surrounding area which have had to give up their jobs, which they have become successful in, just to move away because their husband was having an affair. In this area, affairs are more of a hobby. It isn't who is having an affair, it is who isn't. People act like the heart is something you go into Wal-Mart to buy. You can pick up a couple over in Health and Beauty Aids, just because you know they are going to break. And while you are there, why not run over to toys and pick up a new collection of feelings. It just doesn't make sense. Is everyone here just so insensitive that they are just immune to matters of the heart?


But to continue on with a matter closer to my heart. If you follow our blog, I am sure you read Lissa's story "After 31+ years, ..." A controversy within her own family which started with one picture.



A picture which I found a little humorous. But apparently this area has their Bible Belt too tight around their waist. Her family found no humor in it, and called her atheist for sending this out. To me, religion doesn't have to be so stiff that a person cannot joke or to have fun. What is life without just a bit of humor or fun. I don't find the need to be rigid about a King James idyllic version of Jesus in a Village People routine. Are we supposed to be that tight lipped? I am a religious person, but I grew up in a religion that was a bit more fun, and made learning about the life of Christ an interesting and enjoyable endeavor. But here, the tight lipped people have no room to laugh. At first I assumed it was because of the fact that most of the people on Lissa's father's side of the family are ministers. Okay, maybe they are more strict. They work at churches, write Christian music. Okay, maybe they have a place to complain. The most recent person to become an ordained minister in this family is Jason. He has gone on Missionary missions, written original Christian music, and has his own congregation. Impressive person. He just got married, came back from his honeymoon, and posted pictures on his Myspace account.





I can see where this minister would be held in higher regards than his own cousin, my wife. I can see why Lissa's aunts and uncles put her down and this guy does no wrong. Everyone in her family says they don't judge, and they are the last to judge, but then again, Jason the minister told everyone to be ware of the "whale over his shoulder" in this picture. I guess it is a minister's way of showing "love thy neighbor."



Yes, this is the attitude of people up here. It doesn't just end with customers, people on the street, or idiots driving down the road, no it goes with family as well. Even they consider family disposable. Just because Lissa's grandmother didn't like her mother. Now the family prejudices have carried on even over 11 years after the grandmother's death. But fortunately, they "don't judge." Even Jason's sister, who has had 2 children by "immaculate conception", if you ask the family. In a quote, when the question about race on one of these miracle babies was raised, the answer was "they are Elms." But yet, Lissa has never been accepted as a legitimate member of the family. Again, Wal-Mart must sell family loyalties. It is sad how easily you can throw away even family.

Final case in point. We live just outside of Whitesboro in a small residential area. The house next door to us has been foreclosed on. We watched as they came out and changed the locks, so we expected people to be out working on the house. A couple of days later, a truck came to the house and got stuck in the yard. We took pictures of the truck stuck in the yard and the damage it was doing.





I went to work and came back that night realizing that there was a pile of trash in the neighbors yard. I went out and looked through the pile and was able to match up the trash to the items in the back of the truck.





So, this goes to prove that everything is so disposable, people are willing to dump their trash in a neighbor's lawn. But think this is where the story ends? No, it still goes on. I took this story of this truck dumping his trash in the lawn to Environmental Protection Officer of Grayson County, Jim White; Grayson County Commissioner Precinct 3, Honorable Jacki Crisp; Grayson County Constable Precinct 3, Todd Booher; Justice of the Peace Precinct 3, Mike Reeves; Grayson County Clerk Aimee McAdoo; Grayson County Director of Planning, Jim White; Commissioner Precinct 1, Honorable Johhny Waldrip; Constable Precinct 1, CC “Buddy” Wade; Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, Honorable Gregory J. Middents; Grayson County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy, Ron Brown; Whitesboro Chamber of Commerce; Janis Crawley, Director, WIDCO/WEDCO; Charlie Haldeman, KXII News Director; KXII Newsroom. Out of all of these people, I figured someone would do something. To date, not a single person has contacted me, not a single person has replied, not a single call returned, no one has come out, and no one has even cared. That is Texoma. A place where you can dispose of your trash anywhere you want, and no one cares.

In my last trip to Houston, I made a realization. Almost halfway between here and Houston you cross over Bliss Creek. Aptly named. Everything South is almost like climbing the stairway to heaven. But crossing to the north puts you on the Escalator to Hell..... Find me someone with community pride. Find me someone who cares. Find me someone who still has morals. To me, no pride, not caring and no morals is hell.

I prefer the real life. Where illegal activities are still persecuted by law. Where people still know the meaning of love. And where there is still humor and no judgements. Maybe I am going to hell, but at least I know it is still a step above North Texas. I will be bettering myself. And I will be in great company. Side by side with my loving wife who I support completely, my sons who I have instilled by same sense of humor, my caring parents who taught me to be the person I am, and the teams at Entertainment Weekly, TV Guide, SciFi Channel, and the cast and crew of Battlestar Galactica. Amen.

LISSA’S: While we’re on the subject of Texoma...

Just some places of business / employment...........

Sherman Wal-Mart; Sign Warehouse (Denison); Whitesboro Pizza Hut; KXII Studio & Cast (Sherman and Jokelahoma); and pretty much every thing else in Texoma......
























I've actually acted this way because of being stuck in Texoma!

BILL'S: Inconsiderate Neighbors, WIHAT # 2

To continue my "What I Hate About Texoma" listing, I can start in my own yard. For more than three years now, I have been trying to sell our house, and my inlaws have been trying to sell theirs. My wife and I had to give up, and our house is now being foreclosed on. We have moved in with the inlaws and have doubled our efforts to try to sell this one house. But again, it has proven to be impossible. I blame our neighbors for this. In the past two showings of our house, the first group pulled into the driveway, looked around and pulled back out. The second stopped in the middle of the street next to our neighbors and then drove off without even giving the house a chance.

The reason why? Well, see for yourself. These are actual photos of our neighbors. We have been in conflict with them for the past three years, trying to get them to help us sell our house, but they keep getting worse and worse. And note that all these houses that surround us are occupied by people who are related to one another.



Above is a view from our front yard. Two homes are in the picture. The one on the right side of the picture was placed since our house was placed on the market. They purposely placed it almost on top of the property line, as close to the house as possible. In the bottom right corner you can see the beginning of a dirt pile which was placed here so their septic spray would not come onto our land. This is no joke. They have septic sprinklers just outside their back door. You can see the trash piles in front of the home fully in the picture. The mobile home parked in front of the house is also occupied, but none of the authorities can ever catch anyone at home.



Above is house number three on the lot. Complete with torn tarps over the door, and all windows blocked out. Yes, the lawnmower is right were it broke down two years ago.



Two cargo containers with a wooden fence keeping the trash in. Both trucks in the picture are broken down. The trailer on the right side of the picture is full of trash and has been sitting next to the road for months now.



The story goes, this family owned a "head shop" in Gainesville, which burned down. They needed a place to store the stuff out of the store, so they placed these two storage containers to hold all the stuff they saved from the store. That was three years ago. It happened shortly after the owner of the land's house burned down, on this same plot of land. Here you can see the trash piled between the storage units. The storage units are usually left open. Instead of placing these units behind the house to make it appear more attractive, they placed them at the front of the house. This picture is taken from the road. Again, another broken down truck. Another illegal camper being used as a residence. We have already chased off one camperuse authorities found the old lady home when they came by. These campers are not hooked to the septic system (which could not support them anyway) and have hoses for fresh water hookups.



Closeup shot of the front lawn as seen from the street. This is where today's group who was going to come look at the house changed their mind.



Back yard is barely fenced in, but just like the front.



On the other side is a deserted camper, a deserted truck trailer, and a homemade shanty that houses a well. This family didn't want to pay for water from the city water lines. Trash still litters the lawn.



Another storage unit and piles of trash litter the front lawn on the other side of us.



The story behind this wonderful Evergreen storage unit was the father of this wonderful family died in this house. They needed someplace to "temporarily" store his stuff. So, they got this unit for a "short time." The mother moved out of the house and let one of her sons and his girlfriend move in. The mother is the one who was discovered illegally living in the camper and was forced to move. But the container and all the husband's stuff is still here. The storage unit's "short time" has now passed the year and a half mark, quickly coming up on two years.



The trash just doesn't stop in the yard. Across the street, the gutter is lined with trash from their houses. Plastic containers which blew from their yards in the recent storms. Empty liquor bottles and empty liquor cases. This is the same family we have sat out and watched as they passed joints from one to another in their front yard. Wonderful. And they wonder why we cannot sell.

Like I said, our house has gone under foreclosure, and the inlaws house has dropped in price over $25,000, it is the cheapest in the entire area, and still no lookers. All because of the neighbors. We have even found out that there is a local real estate agent who will not bring anyone out to our house because our neighbors are her cousins and she knows how trashy they are.

And you wonder why we hate the area. Well, here is reason number two. This area is the pit of hell and it has taken destroying our lives to try to start climbing out of this level of hell. And still has not let go of it's hold.

LISSA’S: Retard, Inbreeding Texoma....

LISSA’S: I’m about to shoot me some mo’ fo’

LISSA’S: I’m about to shoot me some mo’ fo’
Current mood: savage


I'm about to shoot me some mother fucking dogs.. and quite possibly some stupid shit white trash dope head mother fucking owners!! My neighbors are so FUCKING trash! and I'm about to have me a Trash burning day!

The stupid ass mother fucker neighbors to our west have these two little FUCKING dogs that they just let run loose over everyone's yards. They go around pissing all over everyone's bushes and plants killing them.

The ass backwards BACKWOODS law enforcement in this FUCKING FUCKED UP region don't know their asses from a FUCKING hole in the ground. I called the city of Whitesboro (a FUCKING JOKE CITY IN ITSELF) and the stipid ass TEXOMITE BITCH was like, "Uhh, well, uh, guess you're going to have to call the county since you are outside city limits." I AM ONLY 500 FEET IF NOT THAT MUCH OUTSIDE THE LIMIT LINE! I could walk to that line in less than 1 minute!! What it is the STUPISD SHIT TEXOMITE don't want to deal with it and so the BITCH TEXOMITE passes it on to the county!

So okay, I play the FUCKING TEXOMITE game.. and call the Grayson county sherrif. OH MY FUCKING GOD... ANOTHER FUCKING JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WHY THE HELL DO THEY EVEN TRY?!?!?!?!?!?!? First of all, their automated SHIT they have when you call is ASSSSSS BACKWARDS!!! OF COURSE I guess this is to be expected since the STUPID ASSSS TEXOMITES around here are so FUCKING technology RETARDED!!!!! I finally get through to the FUCKING PUSSY GRAYSON COUNTY SHERRIF office and she is SO FUCKING STUPID and tells me, "Uhhh, I don't know, let me transfer you." OF FUCKING COURSE. So the next STUPID ASS RETARD TEXOMITE picks up and says, "oh, well you can take pictures of the dogs and take it to the Whitesboro justice of the peace." WHAT THE FUCK YOU FUCKING RETARD TEXOMEITE?!?! I don't want to marry the little FUCKING CUNTS!!!!!!!!!!! Now THIS FUCKED UP FUCKING REGION is trying to pass me back to the city.

I WISHED TO FUCK FUCK FUCK THAT TEXOMA AND ALL OF IT'S FUCKING RETARD TEXOMITES WOULD FUCKING GET SWALLOWED UP INTO A FUCKING BOTTOMLESS PIT AND FUCKING DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE DIE!!!!!!!

I'm SO FUCKING PISSED!!!!!!!! I can almost understand these insane people that go around just shooting people and bombing crowded places! There is a reason these people get insane!!! Texoma and TEXOMITES is driving me to mine!!! I understand the HATE HATE HATE they have in their heart and heads!! THIS FUCKING FUCKING FUCKING place is driving me up a FUCKING FUCKING wall!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

.....AND THEY WANT ME TO SERVE GRAYSON COUNTY JURY DUTY NEXT MONTH?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?

BILL's: The Gulf of Sherman and the shores of Texoma

I don't know what to think of people in this area. Just today, I am driving out of our neighborhood. Our street dead ends into State Highway 56. At this point, Highway 56 is only two lanes, but it is still a State Highway. My little "lane and a half" road joins this right outside of downtown Whitesboro. I am sitting here at my stop sign, waiting patiently for the cars to clear out so I can make a left turn and get up to speed on the highway. But this elderly lady comes down the highway, and wants to turn on my street. Usually this is no problem, but for this lady life came to an end. She stopped in the middle of the highway and started flagging me out to go ahead and make my turn. This is with other cars barreling down on her at 55 mph around an almost blind turn. There was plenty of room for her to get off the road, but she was afraid to make the turn with another car at the same intersection.

The mentality of almost reminded me of another event which almost destroyed the area. Everyone around here remembers the dreaded Hurricane Rita. In September 2005, Hurricane Rita came up the Gulf of Mexico and attacked the coasts of Louisiana, Texas, and the coast of Texoma. I know you heard the story. Hurricane Katrina formed just a month earlier and decimated New Orleans. The evacuees were shipped to surrounding areas like Houston. Then Hurricane Rita formed and came straight for Houston. This created a mass exodus out of Houston up to the north. Shelters were set up from Dallas to Sherman/Denison to not only house the Katrina refugees, but also the evacuees from Houston. A state of panic covered the area. Hurricane Rita was on the way.

In the days of preparation, I spent time helping run radio communications between shelters, organizing with the Red Cross to situate families, and I worked for Dr. Pepper of Texas during the day. Hurricane Rita had built up to a Category 5 Hurricane, at one time was measured with wind gusts of up to 235 mph, and was listed by Lt. Col. Warren Madden as the "strongest storm that I've ever been in." We were in full force on shelters. Almost every one of the shelters had reached it's maximum capacity. Then came the dreaded day. The day I will never forget. To this day the trauma it has caused still has me waking up in cold sweats.

On September 24, around 3pm, as Hurricane Rita was making landfall just a mere 361 miles away in Galveston, I was finishing my work at the Sherman, TX Wal-Mart. One of the things we must do by the rules established by this Wal-Mart is to take our empty hulls the bottles come in and put them in a secured cage against the back wall attached to the outside of the building. Now granted, a small miracle had occurred and the "Dreaded Rita" had been downgraded to a Category 3 Hurricane, but that didn't stop the sweat running down my face. I went up to a member of management and asked politely to have the back door opened so I could take out the empty hulls. I was told that I was crazy. There is a Hurricane coming, no, I would have to store the empty hulls on my trailer. This is one of those semi trailers that you see parked outside of Wal-Marts docks without any trucks on the front end to pull them. They are just there on stilts. I guess Wal-Mart knows best, and a small semi trailer parked on the side of the store with no wind protection would be a safer spot than the cage attached to the backside of the building which is actually built into the ground.

It did make me feel better for all those people who were right in the middle of Rita, getting pelted by the winds and rain, because I knew that all they had to do was to find an empty semi trailer and those 100+ winds would stand no chance against those trailer walls and the stability of the trailer. And being a highway, I know there must be hundreds of those trailers everywhere.

After landfall, it really got scary. Yes, the hurricane lost it's hurricane status within hours of being on shore, but we knew what was next. That storm was going to make it over Dallas, and to the hot waters of the Gulf of Sherman. Here it would start to gain power again. It would develop back to the Category 5 hurricane it was before and possibly worse. And then it would crash head on into Sherman, TX and destroy the whole town, decimating the Wal-Mart and leaving the town in complete anarchy. But I was ready. I had my family ready to run to Wal-Mart and get on my empty trailer. The only thing that stood between us and the end of Texoma.

But then someone looked down on Texoma and flushed his toilet, because just as some stupid renegade weather man predicted, a stray cold front came out of nowhere and took the storm away from us and the Gulf of Sherman. We celebrated for what I swear had to be 21 seconds. Because I knew in my heart that the management of this store was correct in the end of the world coming under the name of Rita.

I still haven't found the Gulf of Sherman. I have spent some time trying to find it so I can lay down on it's sandy beaches as the waves caress my body, and thank God for saving us during those terrifying 50 hours that we were in hiding from the coming storm with no time to escape. 50 hours is not enough time to move hulls out of an attached cage and back to the plant which was a complete block away. I just never could figure out how all those people came all the way from Houston to Sherman in less time. I can only imagine that they had the devil as their co-pilot driving down the interstate.

I have found more hope for my quest for the Gulf of Sherman, though. A few months ago I found out that Royal Caribbean is sending one of it's biggest ships, The Voyager of the Seas, to the area. There is a local vacation planner who placed a full one-page ad in the local paper. It talks of this massive four-story behemoth of a ship and how it will be boarding here in Sherman, and they are selling tickets on to the ship. My search is going to come to an end. All I have to do is wait for that day.... The day I can follow the smoke as the ship comes into port.... I wonder if I will be able to see it from the Wal-Mart parking lot.... *sigh*