West, Texas

(Not to be confused with West Texas)
What a difference a comma makes? West Texas is broadly defined as “West of Ft. Worth,” look at it on a map, perhaps above the fabled Hill County. West, Texas is a tiny Polish town on the plains of East Texas, not much more than a gas station or two.

Explosion in West.

When I lived in old East Austin, before the trendy hipsters took over, I was commuting to Dallas in the old truck, maybe once a month, perhaps every five weeks or so, for employment. There was a couple of long-standing computer clients, and the money was too good to pass up, right, we’ve all been there.

So I would stop in West, Texas to get gas, stretch my legs, and for a number of years, I am a male, I’d use the bathroom at this one gas station. Scariest bathroom ever. Pee in spurts, so nothing swims upstream, that scary. Think, “Trainspotting.”

Over the years, that one place was demolished and I quit stopping there. Been through there, once or twice in the last dozen years.

It wasn’t until later I learned about the fabled “Czech Stop,” which was about a 100 meters down the hill from the place I frequently stopped. Gas was cheaper at the place I coasted into, way I roll.

Because of myth and legend, and quite a bit of road warrior lore, I stopped a few times at the Czech Stop, for food items to take to my family.

I still want to see my Sister wrestle a pickled pig foot.