The Dirt Road » Blog Archive » Hurry Autumn

Hurry autumn…It has not been a good summer.

We have suffered too many losses from the community and one special lady from our family. I was flabbergasted when my Cousin Robbie called in route to Lake City to tell us that our Cousin Ross’s wife, Carolyn had passed away. It was my birthday and Labor Day.

We just saw them back in July while out in Texas. Mamma wanted to see Aunt June (her older sister) so we drove out there for a few days. Later we drove up to Poolville Texas to visit friends of ours that I had known since Audrey and I met them at the George Strait Team Roping Classic down in Kingsville Texas back in 1995.

Ross and Carolyn came over from Austin for a family get-together at my Cousin Pam’s home in Hockley Texas.

Ross and Carolyn were the same…being with them was a joyful occasion because we didn’t get to see them near enough, living 900 miles apart. Sitting around talking…eating…laughing…looking at pictures….the typical Carter family party. Carolyn even took Mamma shopping at the outlet up the road. (Can you hear me? Thank you, Carolyn.)

The summer I graduated from high school, I went out to Houston to spend a few weeks with my Carter cousins. It just so happened that Ross and Carolyn were visiting in Florida so I rode back to Texas with them. They picked me up late in the evening from my aunt’s home in Panama City and we drove toward Texas…Around about 9:30 pm, we stopped in Mobile at a McDonald’s for supper. I ate my first ever Big Mac there.

We drove on…I was getting rather sleepy and Ross said we would stop up the road somewhere and sleep. I almost couldn’t wait till we got to the motel. We pulled into a rest area.

Did I need to go to the ladies room with Carolyn before falling asleep? What???? No motel??? We are spending the night here???

Ross and Carolyn went to sleep without a care in the world while I lay awake terrified all night that some bugger man was going to attack the car and carry us out into the wilds, never to be heard from again. I must have been a pretty sight when I arrived at Arlington Square where my cousins lived…all bleary eyed and sweaty while Ross and Carolyn looked fresh as daisies.

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