23/100 Strangers ~ Buster

Earlier this week I went on a little road trip to Douglass, Texas (population, approximately 75), a small comunity west of Nacogdoches in search of a truss bridge which has been featured in local news the past year because it is in danger of being torn down.  I met my Uncle Joe Buck (that's his middle name, Buck!) at the trading post in Douglass because he was a schoolteacher for many years in that area and supposedly knew where this bridge was located.  At age 86 Joe Buck is my mom's "baby brother" and is somewhat of a character who never met a man he didn't like nor did a man ever meet him and not remember him. 

On our way to search for the bridge we stopped on a narrow country road so I could take some pictures of blooming jonquils at an old house place, and while we were trudging around through overgrown berry vines, bamboo and cane, a county worker on a John Deere tractor came through mowing the side of the road.  Since my truck appeared to be in his way, I waved at him and and mouthed, "Hang on, I'll move it!"  He quickly shut the down the tractor and I was waiting for some irritable words about how I was keeping him from his job, but instead he loudly asked, "What's your name," looking at Joe Buck.  Joe Buck is hard of hearing so I screamed, "He wants to know your name!"  When he replied, the man jumped down off the tractor and exclaimed, "I knew it was you, Mr. Joe Buck!"  As it turned out, this now grandfather whose name is Buster was one of my uncle's students when he taught agriculture at Central Heights High School.  Here is their initial greeting to each other.

After ten or so minutes of remembrances and catching up on whatever happened to Johnny Mack and Billy Bob, we went on our way in search of the bridge and left Buster to his work.

I think Buster probably has an ideal job.  He gets to ride around all day on a big John Deere tractor (its tires were much taller than even I am!) out in country settings where it's quiet and the scenery is beautiful and he does it in peace with no one to tell him how or what to do and he doesn't have to listen to the office gossip or get involved in the politics.  Now that's a satisfying job!  You can tell he loves it by the smile on his face!

If you'd like to see the historic truss bridge you can find it here on my picture-a-day blog.