War Memorials

Inspired by patriots on both sides of the Atlantic, I drove to the town square to protect our War Memorials from rampaging gangs of Maoists, hippies and savages chancing it out of Austin. Here's what happened.

There weren't any "protesters" in the Brookshire's car park, curiously.

No Anarcho-Marxist cadres behind the library either. Like, what gives?!?

The infamous Bond Alley wasn't a heaving mass of revolutionary Communists out to smash the system. Not even an ACAB. Huh.

And there weren't any autonomous zone armed guards at the Farmers Market, but it's a small market after all. Maybe there'd be some action around the corner, at the big War Memorial. 

Nothing, nada, zilch. Not a spray can, molotov cocktail, dreadlock or tofu burger in sight. Huh, strange. They're probably at the other corner of the courthouse, attacking the Confederate Soldier, I thought grimly to myself.

They weren't. The statue stood tall, a tribute to the men of this town who lost their lives in that hideous war. I paused and said a short prayer. Rest in peace.

One last stop, the library. Wow, its brazen statue to patriarchal oppression still stood. Far out. And that was that. 

It seems, my friends, that the heritage of this small farming community remains intact. Good, let's keep it that way.

Deo Vindice,

LSP

Inspection

There was a time and not that long ago, when it was all done by horse but now it's all about the car. That's why I drove to Gene's to get my rig tested. I like Gene's auto, they're friendly, their work's good, they're not too expensive and they have an abstract pine cone sculpture in the waiting room.

You can gaze at the bronze colored pine cone installation as you wait for your vehicle to get tested. But not for long because Gene's completes the inspection in about 3 minutes. Quick work, leaving little time for art philosophy; does the pine cone's form follow its function? Who knows, time to split.

Inspection ticket in hand, head to the courthouse and behold the majestic edifice of The Law. There it is, standing tall and we have to thank Willie Nelson for his part in restoring the place after it burned down in the '90s.

After giving our beneficent rulers $76, leave the courthouse with new registration and pay your respects at the war memorials. One for the Confederate dead and another for all the rest. In God we trust, may they rest in peace. Then have a gaze at the Chisholm Trail plaque; I'd never noticed it before and for sure, this town played its part in that history.

With images of the great cattle drives playing in my mind I drove back to the Compound, and I'll tell you this.

It's a whole lot easier to get your vehicle inspected and registered in the country than it is in the city. I file this exciting story under Country Life in Texas.

God bless,

LSP