Flashback Friday: The Alamo

To understand Glitz & Grits obsession with Texas, we have travel back. Back to when little ‘Leshea was in the fourth grade. When nine year old ‘Leshea took Texas History for the first time. Somethin’ just clicked. Mr. Quincy brought the subject to life. Filled her head with delusion of gander and made Texas larger than life. From that moment on she was hooked. You couldn’t tell her nothin’. Texas was it. It’d be her home, her love until the good lord took her. They’d lay her bare in that Texas dirt.

Fourth grade came and went and seventh grade quickly approached. ‘Leshea was to take Texas History again. After all it was state law. But, this time… yes this time would be different… would be grander. This time she would have fieldtrips. This time she would have a chance to see her beloved in person. To be among others who obsessed over the Lone Star State. This time she would get to go to San Antonio; to see her beloved Alamo in person. She begged her parents for months to let her go. She spent Saturdays washin’ base boards and pullin’ weeds from her Momma’s garden; anythin’ to earn the money so she could see bae in person.
 
She woke up early that Monday mornin’ ready to fight for her spot as only 81 7^th graders would be allowed on the trip. She had to be one of them. She whined at the front door as she waited for her Momma to hurry so she could get to school and sign up. She darn near panicked when she got to school that fateful Monday and saw the line of students. She breathed a sigh of relief when she got to Ms. Griffin sitin’ at the desk and Ms. Griffin’ uttered, “congrats you are number 79!”  She got a little to big for her britches that Monday night when she came home and yelled at her Momma for makin’ her almost miss Bae. She cried for days when Daddy told her, “to watch her mouth and she would have to earn Texas back. That losin’ that money wouldn’t hurt him if it meant teachin’ her a lesson.” ‘Leshea washed more baseboard, folded laundry and pulled weeds in the yard to earn that trip back and get off punishment. She gave up a month of Saturdays.

The time finally came for ‘Leshea to meet bae, AKA the Alamo. She was so excited she sat in the front row of the charter bus next to Ms. Griffin. She spent the trip nervously eatin’ Twizzlers. She didn’t even care that her Daddy told her she couldn’t have them cause of her braces. Nor did she care when she broke her braces and knew her Momma was gonna tan her hide when she got home. She was headed to San Antonio and the bliss from that would pad the behind whippin’ she knew she was in for when she got home.

The Bexar Country signs pulled into view and ‘Leshea couldn’t hold in the excitement. She was gonna bust. The Alamo came into view and ‘Leshea darn near lost it. It was smaller than she had envisioned; smaller than she had dreamed it in her head.  She couldn’t hide her disappointment. This was the Alamo she had dreamed about since she was nine years old. And then a shift happed. She needed to be inside, to touch the walls. Be in the presence of the Texas greats.

‘Leshea was finally allowed in The Alamo. She read the famous words on the plaque

"Be silent, friend
Here heroes died
To blaze a trail
For other Men"

And she cried. Cried like the ratcet baby she was. So overwhelmed with Texas she sobbed. And the other 7^th graders made fun of her but she didn’t care.

Then ‘Leshea grew up to write a Texas blog. She wondered how it was she could remember all the details of this fateful day in 7^th grade but not what she had for lunch. She searched all the photo albums in the house lookin’ for a pic from that day and she settled on those two. And in that moment she realized even at the age of 13 she had an obsession with takin’ pics of the state flag.

Yes, this story is all true. Yes, I cried. Yes, that is why I look ratchet in the pic. I had been cryin’. Until tomorrow, frans.