February 13, 2023 - I was six years old when I drank my first “sodie water”. As I walked past Jess and Bob’s Café in Center, my Uncle Travis Watson (part-owner of the Café) stopped me and asked, “Henry, do you want a sodie water?” It was my first one ever and my reach into the icy water produced a powerful, eye-watering bottle of 7-Up. After a short coughing spell, I thanked my Uncle and ran home to tell Mother.
Then when I was nine years old, (1942) Uncle Travis was responsible for another “first” in my life. He asked my brother Bill and me to go with him to his farm in the Sand Hills six miles south of Center, Texas. “You and Bill can pick black berries while I take care of the garden and cows”, he said. As we got our syrup buckets, he grabbed a handful of pine straws, sprinkled coal oil on them, and whisked up and down our pants. “This’ll keep off the red bugs ….and y’all watch out for Bull Nettles”.
The Bull Nettles were everywhere and within minutes, Bill had brushed up against one. Travis had told us that peeing on the stinging skin was the only way to stop the pain. So with my friendly help, Bill felt better right away. Uncle Travis had brought peanut butter and crackers…... “just in case y’all get hungry”. At a nearby spring branch we laid on our bellies, drank the cool water (like horses do), and chocked down peanut butter.
When our Uncle Travis saw our buckets were not even half-full, I told him “They were nearly full a while ago“. Bill said… “You wouldn’t believe how berries pack down when you walk a long way with them”. On the way home, I told Uncle Travis how I would love to have a horse. “Henry, you don’t need a horse”. “Get yourself a bike…you won’t have to feed it”.
I guess I listened to his advice. I have owned many, many bikes during my life…. but never once owned a horse.
P.S. … his daughter Jean was one of my sweetest cousins ever!!!
