From: larry@peak.nmsu.edu (Evil Engineer doin' it the Cowboy Way)
Subject: Palestine.
Organization: New Mexico State University, MetaPhysical Science Laboratory
Distribution: alt.peeves
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 1992 05:32:38 GMT

That's it, folks. A peeve unto itself. Palestine, Texas. I just got back
to O Fair New Mexico, after a week in wonderful Palestine.

Just in case you care about correct [Texas] pronounciation, the phonetic
spelling is Palisteen. Based on the Texas pronounciation of Amarillo
(rhymes with Brillo), you know these folks are fussy about being correct.

Anyway, peevers, this wasn't my first week in glorious Palestine and it
won't be my last I'm sure. My first visit was in November 1987 - the
reason I remember it so well was that I commented to my fellow PSLer on how
"those look like tornado clouds" as we pulled out of the parking lot of
the Best Western Palestine Inn at 7 AM. Shortly after noon the place was
hit by a twister, which pulled the top story off.. 

And, I always make it a point to stay at that same motel, as I did this
time and also last summer. I wasn't disappointed - on Wednesday about 1:58
AM I was awakened (room 219 - second story) by something, and heard a
little creaking and cracking. So I looked out the window and saw it was
raining fairly hard and all the lawn furniture at the swimming pool was
being pitched around fairly well. The wind was changing direction pretty
well too.

Anyway, I slipped on my robe and stepped outside to get a better look.
Crack! Serious lightning, less than a block away. It took out the lights
for several seconds. Then another flash. Hey! Bead lightning! Pretty
impressive. Time to get back inside.

Anyway, since I was up, I peed and turned on the TV - to the weather
channel. I see.. Southeastern Texas and southwestern Louisiana are showing
in orange and red - severe thunderstorm watch. Just what I love..

Back to bed, and up at 6:30 again, to find it not raining now, but the
weather channel is saying tornado watch until 11 AM..

Well, not THIS visit, Larry. Maybe next time.

Actually, the fact that the whole area is tornado ridden is not my real
peeve, anyway. How did I get off on this?

So. What IS peevesome about a small Texas town of 18K people? I guess I'd
have to start first with the 27 Baptist churches. (Being a full fledged
*Southern* Baptist myself, I am free to say anything at all about Baptists
without fear of political incorrectness. Ain't it great? My Dad summed up
the Baptists best perhaps, when he said: "Son, if it'll make you grin,
it's a sin!". But my current defense line is, "Hey, we Baptists have
definitely got the best MUSIC available in any religion.")

So, here, in Palestine, is a place where a man can stretch his red neck.
And that thumping sound? It's BIBLES, folks!

But religion isn't really that much of a peeve with me (except for those
goddam people with the Watchtower - they definitely are a peeve).

So, I've been exploring Palestine a little in the rental car (Olds Achieva
SL - V6, ran pretty well). And I went looking for some reading glasses,
which I had foolishly left in the garage at home. After finding some
rather crappy ones (I like 'em WEAK, 1.25 diopters), I still had to stand
in line whilst Christmas shoppers - looking for another 3-foot tall
"lighted candy cane" took their sweet time farting along with their junky
purchases. Anyway, after shelling out $14 for the crappy reading glasses,
I notice that I'm being stiffed by the white haired check out lady -
trying to give me NO change back for my $20 bill. Then she decided that I
got $3 and some silver back. Hell, I let it go - I was so glad to escape
from that drugstore. I did make some comment about the "sales taxes being
pretty bad in Texas".

Anyway, on my way out I asked this checkout lady if the town had a movie
house, and she assured me it did, and it was in the "strip mall", "THAT
direction." So I proceeded to head down the main drag (loop 256 I believe
it was), expecting to find some kind of THEATRE. 

It was not to be. And so I returned and re-inserted myself at an
orthogonal direction, going several miles until I could see that that too
was hopeless and that I would end up in Crockett if I kept going. (That's
evidently another swinging town like Palestine, named after Davey I
reckon.)

So I ended up back at the drugstore, retracing my path, and what do I see
at the END of this very building with the drugstore in it? The STRIP MALL?
Well, a movie theater!! And it has two screens and is showing Home Alone 2
or The Muppets Christmas Carol. (Just what I had wanted to travel some
700+ miles to be sure and see, folks!)

Actually, I can't really put my finger on too many substantive bitches
about the place. It's small. Boring. The people are nice. The area is
pretty, with a lot of water, trees, and red clay showing. I saw a
roadkilled deer and a black dog.

One genuine /Peeve has to be Shep's. This place can provide your next six
month's supply of raw cholesterol in one lunch - they have superbo
barbeque. Try the sausage, brother. And they by God put some meat on your
plate. Ole Shep himself (I'm assuming it is Shep. Maybe it's his black
brother in law.) does the serving. 

Anyway, peevers. It's an experience, when you can leave New Mexico for a
week and find yourself longing for the big city again.

I'm back now and I'm mighty grateful.

L.
"Yeh, Buddy..            | larry@psl.nmsu.edu (Larry Cunningham)|  _~~_
 I've got your COMPUTER! | % Physical Science Laboratory        | (O)(-)
 Right HERE!!"           | New Mexico State University          |  /..\ 
 (computer THIS!)        | Las Cruces, New Mexico, USA 88003    |   <> 
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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are CORRECT, mine, and not PSLs or NMSUs..
Revered, now I live on. O did I do no evil, I wonder ever.
Newsgroups: alt.peeves,alt.angst