Submitted by Neal Murphy

“Locked In” by Neal Murphy

February 26, 2021 - My partner and I were on patrol that summer evening in 1973. We were checking on events in the northern part of Harris County and strangely, things were rather quiet. We turned East on FM525, which we routinely identified as “five and a quarter” when talking on the police radio. We were having some difficulty with our radio as it would go off and back on. My partner, the driver, decided that we were suffering from a loose connection at the base of the radio unit which was located in the trunk of the car.

“Ma Bell and Me” by Neal Murphy

February 23, 2021 - Occasionally something will happen to you that leaves an indelible image in your mind. We have all been confronted with inane rules, or pure stupidity on the part of large companies. One such event occurred in 1985 when we moved back to San Augustine from North Carolina.

“Cass, An Unusual Dog” by Neal Murphy

February 12, 2021 - Cass was actually afraid of her shadow. She noticed this dark figure following her around and she tried to run from it. She was in our family for several years and never did overcome her fear of objects.

"Are Men Still Relevant?" by Neal Murphy

January 29, 2021 - It seems that the twenty-first century has produced a general feeling among the female of the species that men are no longer needed. I read articles and see programs on television produced by young, liberated feminists who espouse the idea that they have no need for a man in their lives. They are educated, own their own businesses, and only need a man for pro-creation. They can then rear their children alone – who needs a man around? Any time a program or commercial needs a dufus, guess who gets that part – the white guy.

“The Texas UFO” by Neal Murphy

January 21, 2020 - Unidentified Flying Objects have been around for a long time now, the most notorious of these being the Roswell, New Mexico event. On July 7, 1947, a UFO crashed northwest of Roswell on a cattle ranch, scattering debris over a wide area. Several bodies of extraterrestrial beings were reportedly recovered and autopsied. The event was explained by the military as a weather balloon crash, there were no beings, and thus began the most notable cover up in American history.

“The Die Date” by Neal Murphy

January 14, 2021 - We all know that someday we will die. Our journey on this earth will be over. God chose not to reveal the date of our death to each of us, which is a good thing. There is an interesting verse in the New Testament book of Hebrews, written by the Apostle Paul, that touches on the subject of death. It reads as follows, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment."

“Dope On A Rope” by Neal Murphy

January 7, 2021 - I still have a scar on my left knee caused by a football injury, although I was not playing football at the time. How could that have happened, you may ask. Well, here’s how.

When my son, Doug, was around eight years old in the late 1960s, he enrolled in the F.U.N. football league in Houston, Texas. There were a number of different teams and Doug ended up on the Cougars team. The boys played their games in a very nice football stadium which resembled a smaller version of Rice University stadium.

"Accidental Witness" by Neal Murphy

January 3, 2021 - The old car in front of us was weaving in and out of traffic dangerously, and the occupants, a male and a female, appeared to be fighting each other. My partner, who was driving the patrol car, decided to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle to see what was going on.

It was in the early 1970s, and we were on patrol for the Harris County Sheriff Department, which is Houston, Texas. The traffic stop was on the East Texas Freeway around midnight on a hot summer night. The vehicle promptly pulled over to the shoulder of the freeway and stopped.

"Hoppin' John and Limpin' Susan" by Neal Murphy

December 28, 2020 - Another New Year’s Day is upon us and, as Southerners, we will be eating the symbolic meal of Hoppin’ John to assure a happy and prosperous new year filled with good luck. Most of you are familiar with the dish usually made with black-eyed peas (Texas Caviar), rice, chopped onion, and sliced bacon, all seasoned with a bit of salt. This dish has an interesting history.

“The Christmas Song That Almost Wasn’t” by Neal Murphy

December 18, 2020 - Many secular Christmas songs have been written over the years, some successful, but most never made it to the big time. The second most popular song behind Bing Crosby’s "White Christmas" almost didn’t get recorded. Had it not been for Gene Autry’s wife, Ina, the little song may have languished for lack of attention and faded away into the trash can of history.

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