Real Texas Courtesy

I received a comment from a friend and reader who recently attended a class reunion along with me and several hundred other folks.

As the title of this blog post implies, it is about courtesy shown by a Real Texan.

It is Darla Smith Rohan’s observation about a courtesy she was extended by a complete stranger as she was riding in the car behind the hearse carrying her father.  Here is what she wrote:

“David, thanks for taking the time to do this (write this blog about Real Texas)  for Real Texans, for those foreigners in other states, and for those who are just curious about us.

I was born in McCamey, lived near Midkiff and went to school in Big Lake. My children grew up being Army brats, but I grew up being an oil field brat. There isn’t a whole lot of difference in the two kinds of brats, except I didn’t have to move every 3 years as they did. I need to clarify the term brats. That is a term that lumps us as kids growing up in a society that is different from the norm.

Texas is definitely a society of its own. Respect, manners, friendliness and helpfulness was our mantra out in God’s country. If I have heard it once, I have heard it a thousand times, my dad would say, “A man is only as good as his word”.

My parents lived by the codes of the west and taught my sister and me everything we needed to know about how to conduct ourselves. My dad’s funeral, one of the saddest days of my life, reminded me of who I am.

We were riding behind the hearse on the way to Stephenville to his place of burial. I was looking out the window of the car, not mindful of anything except my thoughts and suddenly, I caught sight of a horse and rider in the bar ditch. The rider dismounted, knelt and removed his hat and placed it across his heart as my dad’s procession passed by. He would have been proud.

I have many stories that need to be told so that others might know and understand why it is a blessing to be a Texan.”

David here:  That poignant little observation brought a tear to my eye and a realization that what we have out here in Real Texas is special.   That observation made by Darla Smith Rohan is typical….not atypical.  It is common to see men tip and remove their hat when meeting or addressing a lady.  It is typical to see doors opened, small courtesies extended, and yes, folks still pull over to the side of the highway when meeting a funeral procession.  That might seem very odd in the city or in another part of the country, but not here.

Not here in Real Texas, where courtesy is common.

I’m David out in Real Texas

Proud of that unknown rider on horseback for his act of courtesy