Remembrances
by
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As I drove up the road to the old ranch, my first thought was, “has time stopped”? The gravel road, majestic pine trees, the cattle grazing, the fences repaired, was just as I remembered. Over sixty years have gone by in a flash. Yet, the closer I came, time showed its mark. Where was the barn where my dad and Grandpa stood by the massive front doors working with the horses?
As the place came into better view, the shock was great. I could hear a voice saying, “Where is it? It’s all gone!” The barn, the corral, the horses, the dogs, all the things that make a vibrant working ranch have been replaced by a hay meadow.
The old house was turned into a storage area and was mostly gone, sitting on a few blocks, the porch rotted away. The front porch was where my aunt and uncle shelling peas, laughing about life. The tin on the roof was covered with rust, opened to the elements. Most of the windows were gone, it seemed she was just waiting for the next hurricane to give her a respectful finish.
Memories of when I was here as a boy came flooding back.
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About the Book
I believe everyone can relate to this book. Have you ever visited a place that you were very fond of, and it had completely changed? First it amazes you that it is not the same as you hold in your mind, and secondly you do not want to accept that it is gone. This book is about the utter shock of discovering that all the people and all the things on a vibrant cattle ranch are gone except for what we can remember in our minds. It turns a heartbreaking experience into wonderful thoughts of things gone by.
About the Author
James was born in Kosse, Texas, in 1938. He moved with his family to Baytown, Texas, during the Second World War. He attended school in Baytown and graduated in the class of 1957. During his younger years, he lived with his mother and stepdad in town, and in the summers he spent time with his dad. He worked as a ranch hand on the Bailey Ranch in Old River, Texas. He and K. Daves were married in 1956 and were blessed with two children and four grandchildren. For thirty-six years he worked at DuPont Chemical along the Houston Ship Channel. He worked through many jobs over the years, including mechanical and human resources jobs. His most rewarding time was the ten years he worked as a high-performance team resource, developing and improving high-performance work systems. He retired in 1996 and now spends his time fishing, hunting, traveling, and offering constructive criticism to all who will listen and pay no heed.