The Promenade

I love small Texas Hill Country towns, especially those with a courthouse on the town square. They have a Norman Rockwell quality that I just can't get enough of.

When spring wildflowers are in bloom, a day trip to one of these places can be a balm for the soul.

You can usually find great barbecue and the people are fabulously friendly. Sometimes maybe a little too friendly.

A friend recounted the time his job with the telephone company took him through such a town. He reads this blog so I have taken a bit of editorial liberty with some of the details.

On a typical summer day, Bubba (yes that is a real Texas name) drove his company car into into the square of one of these Hill Country towns, hoping to find a place to stop for a Dr. Pepper and a peanut patty.

People on the sidewalk began waving and smiling at him as he slowly took in the town. Bubba thought, "Wow, what a great community, these people are amazing. This is why I love Texas. Man, I could really settle down someday in a place as friendly as this. I wonder if my wife would like it here? Maybe I should stop at the real estate office to see what land prices are like." He waved and smiled back, with the deep satisfaction of finding a place so welcoming.

A glance in his rear view mirror quickly brought him back to reality. It became painfully evident that the townspeople had gathered for a parade. Bubba had driven into the square on the one side road that had not been blocked off by local law enforcement, as it was intended to be the entry and exit point for the parade.  Bubba had  unknowingly pulled in right in front of all the "official" participants. The townsfolk assumed because of the company logo on his car door, Bubba  was leading the procession

So he did the only thing he could do. He continued around the square leading the parade, playing the part of a sponsoring company representative. He waved and smiled until he came back to the road he drove in on. He made a quick exit, hoping to avoid the parade organizers and deputies.  In our little circle this became known as "Bubba's Hill Country Promenade".

To this day, when entering a town square I often make the loop and wave to everyone on the sidewalk in honor of the promenade. We Texans are friendly like that.