My dad’s from Texas, I’ve spent a good bit of time out there, I’d like to think part of me is from there and I am one of those folks who believes The Alamo is hallowed ground. A few months ago, I returned from a research trip out there where I bought a coffee mug at the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco, TX. It’s now my favorite mug. It says ‘Texas Rangers’ on one side and on the other is a rather famous quote from Davy Crockett. The quote is drawn from a speech Crockett made in his re-election campaign for Congress. He lost and was killed year later at the Alamo. Around my house, Davy Crockett is held up on a pedastal, as is any man who died at the Alamo. One problem: on more than one occasion guys like Travis, Bowie, Houston and Crockett said things I might not want my first grader reading—or repeating. Yet. To be honest, I didn’t know Rives was paying attention to the fine print on the side of my coffee mug.
You see where this is going?
I drink coffee out of this thing most everyday. I am sipping from it right this minute. Rives, our first grader, reads like a fifth grader. Or, he reads as well as I did in fifth grade Anyway,Christy was getting him ready for school this week and told him to do something that he evidently didn’t want to do. With an absolutely straight face, Rives turned around proudly quoted to her the side of my coffee cup: “You may all go to hell, and I will go to Texas.”