Funny thing about the Alamo. Texas is a lot like Glock (and no, not big and ugly

) but rather, it comes with its own brand of Kool Aid. I drank it early. In fact the first day I was there, I was driving into Austin on 360 hitting a bridge over the Colorado, the smell of cedar coming though my open widow and a great view of the river and, due to a traffic back up I got stuck there for a bit. I opened a Shiner (legal as long as the cop didn't see you drink from it) and futzed with the radio. I found a commercial radio station (KGSR) that was playing Willie, it then followed up "Whiskey River" with Marley's "No woman, no cry" and finshed with the Sex Pistols. I was hooked. Three days later I was buying boots, learning to two step, and wondering why it took me 22 years to get here. My ex was harder to convince. She was from Boston and a Tip O'Niel Democrat. She professed to hate Texas. The accents, the heat, the lack of public transport, the death penalty and on and on (she was really, really good in the sack, smart as hell, and tough as nails when it came to camping and outdoor stuff for those who are wondering why I put up with it

). Then I took her to San Antonio for the weekend. We ate great Mexican food, did the river walk, and hit the Ripleys museum (cheesy as hell, but I'd never been to one and it was worth the price of admission). Anyway, it was getting late and I suggested we hit the Alamo before it closed. She was skeptical but went along. She almost balked at the sign saying we had to take our hats off to enter, but she humored me. When we left she was in ters. It really is an amazing place and left even a cynical Yankee convinced. Reading Travis' letter in that place was amazing. I was conditioned to be moved by traing to be an officer. She wasn't and it still brought tears to girl who cried less than a dozen times in the many years I've known her.I bought her a pair of ostritch hide boots the next day (probably the most satisfying $400 I've ever spent)! It made a believer of a damn cynical, but patriotic Boston girl. That letter should be read by every school kid in America.
FQ13