We're News

Yesterday afternoon a reporter from the Big Bend Sentinel came into Padre's while I was working the bar. He said he's doing a story on us. I said, 'Oh a story on Padre's for the Viva Big Bend Festival?' "No,' he said, 'I'm doing a story on YOU.'

This is what comes of living in a small town: we are news. People want to know how we came to be here and what our plans are for the place. After talking to multitudes of folks about it and writing almost daily, it was easy to put into words what drew us to Padre's and what we're doing. Paul mentioned my blog, which I had just renamed 'The Marfan Chronicles' that morning, and I was happy that the reporter seemed to be envious of the title.

While working the bar this Sunday and Monday, I noticed a phenomenon that is probably common knowledge to others who've worked in and frequented bars, but was something of a revelation to me. People who sit at the bar want to talk. At Padre's, they are the travelers and they all have stories. There was the German man who had just dropped his son off at camp in Ft. Davis. He told of getting stopped by a state trooper and asking the officer if he knew how lucky he was to have grown up in America. The German loved our country, especially West Texas, and was delighted to find chocolate from his village back home at The Get Go. Score one for Marfa! There was the truck driver from New Orleans who, with his minion who popped in once for some grub to take back to the truck, was stopping for the night. He stayed til close, buying Bud Light after Bud Light, and presented me with a fresh ten or twenty each time. He had a prophet-like quality about him, a sage of the road, and had great insight in running a bar. I listened carefully as he gave me valuable pointers such as, don't use glass ashtrays because they can be used as weapons!

I am finding that I have some stories, too, and it's been fun sharing them with my captive audience.