Remember The Alamo

I recently visited the great state of Texas. The plan was to take the Amtrak to St. Paul, and then for my brother (Roger) and I to drive down to the San Antonio area. We hoped to see a few new places, play a few rounds of golf, and join up with Father Ned Shinnick, who spends each February in the Canyon Lake area.

The Amtrak provided transportation for the first leg of my journey. I made the 7 pm to 7 am ride from Williston to St. Paul without incident. The “clickety clack” of the rails lulled me into a good night’s sleep. My brother’s trusty Buick carried us the remainder of the way. The 2000 mile trek took me 3 days. The objective of my travels was to enjoy the journey – and not just the destination.

We met up with Fr. Ned at his motel in the Canyon Lake area. Although the weather in Texas was mostly rainy, we were able to enjoy one day of golfing. My game was extremely rusty. Ned and Roger enjoyed a healthy competition. They did duff a few shots, however, and some of their responses were less than priestly.

We used the rainy days to visit the local tourist attractions. Our trip to the Alamo museum, for example, was very interesting. Although the exact numbers are debated, it has been reported that in 1836 some 189 Texas loyalists held off 1800 Mexican soldiers for 13 days. All of the soldiers (even those who surrendered) died at the hands of Santa Anna’s forces. Casualties included Sam Bowie and Davy Crockett. This slaughter generated the slogan “Remember the Alamo”. Memory of this defeat rallied the American forces to not only recapture the Alamo, but also to go on winning a series of battles that eventually led to our control of Texas and the entire southwestern portion of our country.

The three of us (Fr. Ned, Roger, and I) also travelled to the town of Fredericksburg. That is where the Admiral Nimitz and George H.W. Bush museums are located. These museums provide very interesting relics and information on the Pacific aspects of World War 2. We learned, for example, that Japanese people strongly believed that “dying for the Emperor” was the most honorable way for a soldier to die. Surrender was regarded as pathetic and dishonorable. That is why historians believe that the war with Japan could have lingered on for years. Thousands more American lives, and millions more Japanese lives, could have been lost – had not President Truman decided to use the atomic bomb to bring the Japanese conflict to an end.

Human beings love to debate these issues. In a similar way, the three of us also debated the rules and fine art of playing pinochle. Fr. Ned has played this card game for many years, and is a veritable expert in this area. He soundly defeated “the Kessler boys” in this competition. Our debate of political issues was a bit more balanced, however, and I believe that Dr. Dirt’s opinions prevailed in this arena.

Winter vacations are good for the soul. It was good to be able to recharge our batteries – and see a little bit of the country in the process. It was also fun to see what the “snow bird” life is all about.