This is a different take on my dad blog but its still about fatherhood and the relationship between a dad and his adult son.
Mike watching me leave from Temple, TX It was January 14th when I pulled out of the Temple, Texas AMTRAK station on the ‘Texas Eagle’. Twenty hours later I’d be back home in St. Louis, MO. It was a sunny, bright day in the mid-forties for which many natives of this part of Texas complained. Too cold! As we go north, I’m sure mid-forties will be welcomed in mid-winter.
Side note: It’s funny how people adapt to temperatures. 95 degrees is always hot and 20 degrees is always cold. In between, however, you will find people up North very comfortable in the forty degree area and people in the South loving the 90s. Alternatively, the North complains about the 90s and the South shivers in the 40s. Notwithstanding the wind, humidity, or lack of either, I hesitate to complain about temperatures between 40 degrees and 90 degrees. Maybe that’s because I live halfway between Texas and Minnesota, and because seasons seem right to me.
Side note: It’s funny how people adapt to temperatures. 95 degrees is always hot and 20 degrees is always cold. In between, however, you will find people up North very comfortable in the forty degree area and people in the South loving the 90s. Alternatively, the North complains about the 90s and the South shivers in the 40s. Notwithstanding the wind, humidity, or lack of either, I hesitate to complain about temperatures between 40 degrees and 90 degrees. Maybe that’s because I live halfway between Texas and Minnesota, and because seasons seem right to me.
I was in Temple for about a week having helped my son, an Army Warrant Officer, to transfer from Ft. Campbell, KY to Ft. Hood, TX. There he bought a fixer-upper which is rather ironic since Temple is only 40 minutes from Waco, the home of Chip and Joanna Gaines and Magnolia Silos. For those that don’t know, the Gaines are enormously successful rehabbers and entrepreneurs found on HGTV. He bought the house unseen, relying on photos and realtor who, it turned out, was not so reliable.
The Texas Eagle Lounge Car I’m in the lounge car of the Texas Eagle which is just over a third full. Two of the tables have young Amish playing cards and not paying much attention to the flat, brown Texas countryside. Two young ladies wearing bonnets are at one table playing two young men. The other table has four young men wearing patterned shirts with suspenders and black slacks. It sounds like they are speaking a strange language, maybe Germanic or just a dialect, with an occasional English word or phrase I can pick up. Trying to figure it out, I want to look at their lips, but I don’t want to stare. They all seem to be having a good time.
I have to admit I’m a little surprised about how nice the lounge car is. The seats are comfortable with tables and windows all around. The train sways as it ambles north, sometimes slowly, sometimes jostling. The passenger cars have lounge seats that recline with foot rests. You’ll find couples relaxing under blankets, lone travelers reading, looking at movies they have downloaded (no internet on board this train), or sleeping with arms folded and hats down for privacy.
I’m in the fifth of about seven cars. The train’s whistle seems a little distant, adding to the mood of this way of travel. About an hour and a half north of Temple, the landscape changes a bit with more plateaus, very small hills (more like large mounds) and a shrubby green trees. Even though there is not much change in the scenery, I’m rubber-necking from side to side. I have my Nikon with an 18-300mm lens at the ready just in case I see something interesting. I’ve always been an observer. Although I was an Air Force pilot for six years, I still like to sit by the window on an airliner, but those aisle seats are becoming more lucrative. They are great for those of us with small bladders.
I have to admit I’m a little surprised about how nice the lounge car is. The seats are comfortable with tables and windows all around. The train sways as it ambles north, sometimes slowly, sometimes jostling. The passenger cars have lounge seats that recline with foot rests. You’ll find couples relaxing under blankets, lone travelers reading, looking at movies they have downloaded (no internet on board this train), or sleeping with arms folded and hats down for privacy.
I’m in the fifth of about seven cars. The train’s whistle seems a little distant, adding to the mood of this way of travel. About an hour and a half north of Temple, the landscape changes a bit with more plateaus, very small hills (more like large mounds) and a shrubby green trees. Even though there is not much change in the scenery, I’m rubber-necking from side to side. I have my Nikon with an 18-300mm lens at the ready just in case I see something interesting. I’ve always been an observer. Although I was an Air Force pilot for six years, I still like to sit by the window on an airliner, but those aisle seats are becoming more lucrative. They are great for those of us with small bladders.
Mike's Fixer Upper We had arrived at my son’s house a week earlier around dusk, greeted by the realtor. We didn’t expect much from the house knowing it needed a lot of tender care, but we did expect the pier and beam floor to be level. It was not! The living room had a crown in the middle. The realtor had said it had been taken care of. He could feel our angst as we pulled up the carpet and examined the floor. He explained he did the best he could for what my son was looking for. That may have been true - except for misleading us about the floor.
The train just passed a farmer feeding a herd of aggressive goats. My first photo op, but I wasn’t quick enough.
The train just passed a farmer feeding a herd of aggressive goats. My first photo op, but I wasn’t quick enough.
That evening was tough for my son, Mike, and also for me. He felt he had made a big mistake buying this house unseen. We had no idea what it would take to fix the floor at this point. After finding a hotel, we thought we’d talk it over at dinner. We asked the girl at the desk for a good Chinese restaurant. She raved about a place called Dynasty. They should have left off the ‘Dy”!
The party at the table next to us was celebrating a birthday. We were regretting our restaurant choice, fearing what was ahead with this ‘Humpty Dumpty’ of a house, and tired from our 800 mile trip. Just as we were about to leave, all the waiters gathered around and started singing some version of happy birthday. Then, out of nowhere came the piercing clash of a Texas sized symbol. We both jumped out of our seats! It was the pinnacle of a disappointing day, the nadir of optimism.
The party at the table next to us was celebrating a birthday. We were regretting our restaurant choice, fearing what was ahead with this ‘Humpty Dumpty’ of a house, and tired from our 800 mile trip. Just as we were about to leave, all the waiters gathered around and started singing some version of happy birthday. Then, out of nowhere came the piercing clash of a Texas sized symbol. We both jumped out of our seats! It was the pinnacle of a disappointing day, the nadir of optimism.
A view from the train Mike was in his seventeenth year in the Army. He has made many moves alone, not to mention combat tours in far-off countries. Like me, he’s not good with change yet has pushed forward all these years. So this change alone was uncomfortable, but add to it the disappointments of the house and lousy atmosphere at this moment, and it was the culmination of an awful day! But it would get better.
Not yet two hours north of Temple, the terrain is again very flat, similar to central Illinois but with less farmland and more brush and pastures. Coming into the Ft. Worth suburbs are residential areas and the train crawls. Some homes are ramshackle and others appear to be very nice homes seeming out of place surrounded by vacant fields of brush. I see teens playing basketball in a park. It reminds me how I miss pick-up games of baseball when I was a kid.
Not yet two hours north of Temple, the terrain is again very flat, similar to central Illinois but with less farmland and more brush and pastures. Coming into the Ft. Worth suburbs are residential areas and the train crawls. Some homes are ramshackle and others appear to be very nice homes seeming out of place surrounded by vacant fields of brush. I see teens playing basketball in a park. It reminds me how I miss pick-up games of baseball when I was a kid.
The next day Mike called a few foundation companies to get estimates on leveling the house. The first bid was steep, about 10% of the value of the house. But after a few more estimates, the bids were down to half the original. We were beginning to feel better about things. Mike had much work ahead of him but that is what he wanted. He had never owned a house before, living in dorms, apartments, and tents – sometimes worse! This would give him experience in carpentry, plumbing, electrical, etc.
Pulling out of Dallas now. An older Mexican lady, travelling alone, is talking up a storm to someone in Spanish on a speaker phone. It’s the only sound in the car outside the clicking of the tracks and train whistle. The sun has fallen to about five degrees above the horizon. We’ve passed the gleaming skyscrapers of downtown Dallas into an industrial area as we turn more northeasterly.
Pulling out of Dallas now. An older Mexican lady, travelling alone, is talking up a storm to someone in Spanish on a speaker phone. It’s the only sound in the car outside the clicking of the tracks and train whistle. The sun has fallen to about five degrees above the horizon. We’ve passed the gleaming skyscrapers of downtown Dallas into an industrial area as we turn more northeasterly.
Dealey Plaza from the train Coming into the Dallas Amtrak station, I was surprised to see Dealey Plaza where President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The very spot on the street where he was shot was visible as was the Texas School Book Depository where Oswald took aim. I almost missed this historic spot as I was looking through my lens at the Old Red Museum building. I recognized Dealey Plaza too late, then found I had captured it in one of my photos of the Old Red Museum.
Young Amish girl writing The next few days in Temple, we pulled carpet, investigated the plumbing under the house, changed locks, and removed glue on the hardwood floors that secured the carpet pad and generally cleaned up. One of the nice things about the house were the seventeen windows that surrounded the 880 square foot living space allowing for much sunshine. Unfortunately, they were all painted closed and had thin, single-pain glass. Mike wanted to repair them, but I talked him into new windows. It had to be done.
It’s been over an hour now and the Mexican lady is still talking loudly to the same person on her phone for all to hear. I was picking up the language by now. A blond-headed Amish girl is writing something feverishly two table down, rarely looking up. The terrain is still very flat allowing downtown Dallas to be seen for miles. We came to a highway paralleling our tracks. The cars were passing us up, although slowly as we headed for our next stop at Mineola, TX. The sun has just set on the flat purplish horizon slowly changing upwards to a pink, then light blue hue. My sightseeing will soon end and I hope to get into a book.
I’m considering eating in the Dining Car for the experience despite the gourmet restaurant prices. But they said we would have to share a table. I’m not anti-people but I’m not sure I want to get into a conversation. This is ‘me-time’ on the Eagle!
It’s been over an hour now and the Mexican lady is still talking loudly to the same person on her phone for all to hear. I was picking up the language by now. A blond-headed Amish girl is writing something feverishly two table down, rarely looking up. The terrain is still very flat allowing downtown Dallas to be seen for miles. We came to a highway paralleling our tracks. The cars were passing us up, although slowly as we headed for our next stop at Mineola, TX. The sun has just set on the flat purplish horizon slowly changing upwards to a pink, then light blue hue. My sightseeing will soon end and I hope to get into a book.
I’m considering eating in the Dining Car for the experience despite the gourmet restaurant prices. But they said we would have to share a table. I’m not anti-people but I’m not sure I want to get into a conversation. This is ‘me-time’ on the Eagle!
I felt badly as the train pulled out of the Santa Fe Station in Temple. There was Mike, waving goodbye not knowing a soul. As a single man, he had done this many times before. But he was grateful that he didn’t have to drag a family around the globe. Thankfully, this would be the last time he would have to move for the Army! His next move would be as a civilian to the Island of Oahu. He spent three years there living in a very modest duplex on the most beautiful beach you could ever see, although one year of his assignment was spent in Afghanistan. He had made good friends there, enjoyed the weather, and absolutely loved the water.
His family is not thrilled that he will be living so far away when he retires from the Army. We have been spoiled the last couple of years because he was able to visit home on long weekends and holidays, Ft. Campbell being only four hours by away by car. But we are all thrilled that he will finally be able to settle in one place and live the life he chooses. And what a nice place to visit!
His family is not thrilled that he will be living so far away when he retires from the Army. We have been spoiled the last couple of years because he was able to visit home on long weekends and holidays, Ft. Campbell being only four hours by away by car. But we are all thrilled that he will finally be able to settle in one place and live the life he chooses. And what a nice place to visit!
Dinner in the Dining Car Well, I took a chance on the dining car and it was surprisingly good. Baked salmon with green beans and baked potato. There were ten tables and only four were taken so I was able to eat alone entertained, however, as strangers in the next two tables told their life stories to each other. It was my first dining car experience. It was twenty steps away, good food, friendly waitress, no tax, and cool atmosphere. I just wish my wife Kathy could have been there with me.
I went back to the passenger car to do a little reading and found the worst seat on the train. A was able to get a little sleep, however, and woke up to light snow as we approached St. Louis. I enjoyed the time to think, the charm of train travel, and the opportunity to people-watch. I also enjoyed helping my son in his latest venture. The day I retired, I dedicated myself to helping others, but family first and foremost!
I'll be going back in a few weeks to see how I can help. I know Mike will do a great job. The house will look awesome!
I went back to the passenger car to do a little reading and found the worst seat on the train. A was able to get a little sleep, however, and woke up to light snow as we approached St. Louis. I enjoyed the time to think, the charm of train travel, and the opportunity to people-watch. I also enjoyed helping my son in his latest venture. The day I retired, I dedicated myself to helping others, but family first and foremost!
I'll be going back in a few weeks to see how I can help. I know Mike will do a great job. The house will look awesome!
