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Reader's
mail from Maine
Not Remembering
the Monahans Sandhill Rangerettes
Monahans, Texas
Rex Parsons |
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Monahans
Sandhill Rangerettes c. 1958
Raoul, our Editor-in-waiting, swears that this was a Monahans Drill
Team in the 50s, but we're not sure.
TE Archives |
I
lived in Monahans from 1952-1963. I do
not recall any Sandhills Rangerettes while I was there. I have some
pix in/around Monahans if you might be interested. The photo looks
to me like a shoot for a "cheesecake" calendar which were popular
back then. I'm not saying there weren't any Sandhills Rangerettes.
I'm saying I just don't remember them.
I haven't lived in Texas since 1965 but I am still full-blood TEXAN.
I can still talk about Texas all day - and will, if given the chance.
We used to "hike" out to the Million
Barrel. Back then it was quite the adventure. We'd pack our canteens
and head out to slide down the inside slopes where we ruined many
a pair of jeans. There were some dried seed pods that we picked up
along the way. Or they picked us up. They were monstrous, very sharp,
three pronged things that when dried would draw blood from you ankle
if you walked into and got caught by one. And they were a bitch to
get off.
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"This
is my brother (seated) and me. Murray's Hardware can be seen across
the street. Its probably Main Street in Monahans. The date on the
pic is 1954. Obviously a hot west Texas afternoon." |
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The
old (only) newspaper / magazine stand on Main Street would sell "dressed
up" pods. We, not so affectionately, called them Devil's Claws. Nobody
here believes me. Wish I had a couple to show them.
The old Texan theatre on Main closed while I was there. There were
two drive-in movies. The old "Dingo" drive in restaurant. Doubt that's
still there. We kids would cruise around it all evening. Sometimes
we'd go inside to jitterbug awhile. When we tired of driving around
in circles we'd just sit in our cars and order "windmill floats" from
the carhops. We didn't have much money so it was usually windmill
floats and french fries. Why didn't our parents understand the importance
of being seen "dragging the Dingo". When the Youth Center opened we
finally had a place to go to hangout. |
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"This
is our dog, Pal who always enjoyed visiting Bud and Merle Moore. That's
their house on west side of theGrandfalls Hwy. In the background you
can barely see Parsons Lease Works. A company my father owned. circa
1955. |
| When
we kids were giving old Pal a bath in the yard Bud would see us and
whistle and Pal would go running to him. Soap aflying." |
During
the late evening hours in September we would sneak down to the new
car dealerships. Back then the official unveiling of the new models
was a closely guarded secret. The windows would be covered with paper
so nobody could see until the next day. It was so exciting back then
to get that sneak peek. Of course, we'd have to avoid any "police"
entanglements. We did get caught a couple of time and returned to
our parents. But, we knew something they didn't. We knew what the
1956 new cars would look like.
- Rex Parsons, Maine, 1-31-06
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