Many of you know what a huge fan I am of Bob Phillips and Texas Country Reporter. When I was a kid we would pick up the antenna signal of several Dallas stations. The show was then on Channel 8 out of Dallas and was called 8 Country Reporter. Back then it came on early Saturday evenings, and I would watch it just before I switched over to NWA Wrestling on WTBS. (Yes, I was alive when there was a "W" in front of "TBS.") I was always fascinated with Phillips' stories about the out of reach places in Texas. He has always had a knack for finding those characters and stories that no on else in the world cares about, except in novels celebrating the idea of small-town life. These are the people and narratives that are in theory celebrated, yet in reality disdained by the intelligentsia.
In recent years I catch the show here and there, as it comes on sporadically and at odd times here in Waco. But I'm still a fan.
After packing up camp and getting ready to come home on Thursday, I decided to take a stroll through Jefferson. When I'm around the area I always love stepping into the General Store there and sampling the various array of Jams, Jellies, Salsa and Apple Butter. As I walked in I saw a sign that said that a local poet would be there in the afternoon for a booksigning at noon, and would be interviewed by Bob Phillips, THE Texas Country Reporter at 2:00. I looked down at my watch. It was 4:00.
DAMN!
I asked the lady at the counter if Phillips was still around, and she told me he had left about twenty minutes before, but that he might still be around town. I walked around and never found him.
Oh well. Someday.
3 comments:
I love small town life myself. I was born & raised in Whitehouse and live here again now. It's grown immensely since my childhood, but it still has that small town feel. My FAVORITE small town we've lived in was Gilmer. I'd like to retire there when we're old & gray, actually. What's your favorite small Texas town?
Liz
What a great question, I have to answer. May I?
Okay. My favorite small town is, of course, Wimberley. I grew up there and with the river, the creek, the cypress trees to jump from into the creek, Jacob's Well, the hills, being so near Austin and now the wineries, it's pretty near perfect for me.
All my family is there, so I might wait a while before moving back.
PS My sister-in-law lives in Whitehouse. She loves it too.
Do you remember, or did you ever get to see 'The Eyes of Texas', hosted by Ron something-or-other?
The theme song was sung by Clint Black.
I don't know if it was a precursor to TCR or just Houston's regional version, but I LOVED watching The Eyes of Texas. My Texaphilia is rooted in that show.
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