Rodeos in the “real” Texas

When we moved to Houston, it was already well into a boom that had brought many “foreigners” into it. While not impossible, you often had to ask several times to find the native Texan and even more to find a native Houstonian. But just outside of Houston was a remnant of the real Texas, a weekly rodeo, the rodeo that Deng Xiao Peng had been to just the year before.
While still at the hotel, we decided to sample the “real” Texas. I don’t think rodeos were Marilyn’s cup of tea but going at least once just had to be done. (She never did express any interest in the Huntsville prison rodeo, or any other rodeo and to my knowledge never watched any rodeo on TV.)

It had all the aspects that I now associate with rodeos but from my understanding was like a minor league. Individuals would accumulate points that would allow them to qualify for the more prestigious rodeos. Maybe a better analogy would be NASCAR or qualifying for the U.S. Open in golf.

But the thing that made it an unforgettable experience was one of the filler dialogs between the announcer and the clown about the clown’s recent marriage.

Basically the announcer congratulated the clown on his marriage and commented that he had heard that the new wife was a nagger. The clown affected not to understand so the announcer repeated the statement. This went on for a couple exchanges with the announcer finally almost yelling that he had heard the wife was a great big nagger. To which the clown said: “No, a little white girl about so high,” while gesturing with his hand about chest high.

Needless to say, we, recently married, liberal, almost Easterners, were shocked. But the rest of Texas, including some of my work experiences, which will not be written here, were substantially better and far less shocking. Perhaps I was taking the wrong perspective. Maybe it was a statement of how far we had come that a Texan would simply respond and not be offended by what was the implied suggestion.

Coming in a few topics will be a Family Tradition topic, namely an initiation that I, Marilyn, and our children went through. I have great pictures but do not want to give the initiation away as my children are recently married with spouses who have yet to be initiated. It's all volunteer and everyone who has gone through it has had fun, just not as much fun as the observers. It's still a great way to join the family.

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Marilyn lost her life to cancer but was able to truly "live" until the very end due to a lymphedema garment from Don Kellogg, inventor and founder of Telesto-Medtech. It is due to the "living" he provided Marilyn and through his suggestion and connection with Saskia Thiadens of the National Lymphedema Network that the Marilyn Westbrook Garment Fund exists. It needs other people's help to remain a living memorial of Marilyn. Please help other people receive the gift of living by donating to the Marilyn Westbrook Garment Fund. Thank you.