On the way back through the small-town of Turkey yesterday morning in west Texas, I stopped in a little Mexican diner for some breakfast burritos for our drive. Except for a elderly gentleman sipping coffee, I was the only diner. He said good morning to me and I placed my order. I mentioned his baseball cap said USS Tennessee on it. He said he joined the navy on Dec 7th, four days before Pearl Harbor, in 1941, thinking he would finish out his duty in dry dock. He served his whole term on that ship though, chasing Japanese warships in the Pacific with 2400 other sailors. He enjoyed sharing his story, feebly so, given his 90 years of age. Having a simple breakfast with a poached egg, toast and sausage, he asked me where I was from, asked me if I knew any Dixon’s. Plano I said, just one or two. He didn’t know them, but figured they were kinfolk. He invited me to their jamboree in town this Saturday night. He still strummed his music, pickin’ and a grinnin’ he said. I smiled and said I couldn’t go, sadly, because of work. I got my burritos, gave a nice tip, bid the gentleman farewell, said it was an honor to meet him and thanked him for his service. I imagine he wears that cap proudly. A Texas treasure indeed. What a gift to spend time with the elderly.
Posted on: Fri, 01 Aug 2014 20:45:55 +0000
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