My wife and I were out on the Fort Worth highway to get a bite to eat at lunch the other day and on the way back, as we turned and headed up C.C. Woodson going home – I’m not going to give you too much of a description – but there was a Mustang – and this Mustang came flying from behind us and took off. I guess he had his foot in the floorboard because this Mustang was screaming down the road past us and its weaving in and out of the vehicles. When we reached about Tractor Supply, he was already almost to Southwest Appliance and I assume he finally got to where he was going. My wife and I, as I tried to cool my temper, were discussing how very dangerous it was, not necessarily for that person but for the people he was almost pushing off the road.
We talked about it on the way home and I got to talking about a ticket I got probably in the late 70’s or early 80’s. My wife and I had taken off early that afternoon for Huntsville for a basketball game between Howard Payne and Sam Houston State. It just so happened that James Ray Williams and Jenny jumped in with us. So, there were four of us going to Huntsville and we had a good time. We had fun at the ballgame and we’re enjoying visiting as we’re headed home. It’s probably 2:00 or later in the morning. We’re in the country in East Texas and we pass through this little town. All of a sudden I’ve got lights flashing on me. I pull over and this guy was a real treat. At least at the time he was. He looked like he had come out of a movie scene. He had on kind of a sloppy sheriff’s uniform and comes up and says, “Hey, howdy doody. How y’all doing? Where are y’all from?” I said, “You know, we’re from a town way far away, a town called Brownwood.” He said, “Aw, I’m very familiar with Brownwood. I used to be in Rising Star.” I said, “Oh really!” He asked my name and I told him and he said, “You’re Dallas Huston! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve listened to you on the radio back at my prior job.” I said, “Well, I really appreciate that.”
I’m standing outside the car while everybody else is waiting in the car wondering what he could have stopped us for. Apparently there was a lower speed limit sign sort of in the middle of nowhere I missed it. I didn’t even know there was a town, much less a sign.
I felt like I had entertained the guy for about long enough telling stories. I’m thinking, if it gets me out of a ticket it’s worth it. We just go on and on, laughing and carrying on. Finally, after I’ve been out there the better part of an hour, he reaches into his back pocket and says, “Well, I better write you this ticket or you never will get home tonight. “ I was so mad! I didn’t know what to do. I mean I was just fuming. He stood out there and it took him quite a while to write the ticket. He writes the ticket and hands it to me – I probably grabbed it out of his hand. He says, “Ya’ll be real careful going to back to Brownwood and if you see any of my friends down there tell them ‘Hi’ for me.” I thought to myself, I’m really glad I don’t know who any of his friends are because I’m not doing anything for that guy. The friendliest guy who ever gave me a ticket, but I still didn’t like it.
Until next time, so long everybody.
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‘Out of the Box’ with Dallas Huston is published each Monday morning at BrownwoodNews.com. Dallas was the radio voice of the Brownwood Lions and Howard Payne Yellow Jackets for more than 55 years. He currently is Pastor of Center City Baptist Church and hosts a Men’s Bible Study in Brownwood on Monday evenings. Your comments are welcome at [email protected].