Welcome to
Spiff's Road Trip to Illinois
This is Spiff...
Spiff is all packed and ready to go for his big trip!
He gets a warm sendoff from my mom...
Before we could get on our way
0001mile. Spiff insists on pumping his own gas...
you don't argue with Spiff.
0014mi. Spiff wants to drive,
But he can't see over the wheel!
So I give him a boost.
Much better.
0063mi. Spiff wants to put in some music...
I must say, he does have good taste!
0084mi. Spiff (and I) get hungry, so we decide to pull off the road just outside of Hearne, TX.
Real BBQ is a rustic, wooden shack that apparently servs REAL brisket and sausage and such.
We meet Herman: the owner, manager, cook, and loyal customer of Real BBQ.
Herman is a good man. He has been through numerous wars and seen much of the world.
We ask Herman what, based off of all his worldly experience, he would give as advice to two youngsters just starting to experience the world and life.
Herman says these words:
"Well, you must shoot for your goals. Find a goal and work towards it, work hard."
"Always do good for yourself. If you do good for yourself, then it'll be good for others...you could bring yourself down, and it'd end up bringin' me down. But if you're out there working hard and motivated and making somethin' of yourself, then that'd inspire me and help me out as well."
"Grades don't mean nothin' in school. They don't matter as long as you're learnin'...Take this cup for instance. I could make a fine grade telling everyone it's a cup. But it don't do me a damn bit 'o good if I don't know what makes it up. What this foam is or why it's round and holds water. If I just come out with a grade, I don' learn nothin. But if I know what all about this cup and what makes it up, then I've learned something...something I can use later on. And no one can take that away; no one can take away what you've learned."
Great words of advice. We thank you, Herman.
Turns out, his son graduated from Southwest Texas--which is now Texas State, where Spiff and I go.
But we had a storm to beat, so Spiff and I needed to head out.
But Spiff had to hit the bathroom, first.
Needless to say, he didn't want his photographer inside...
0247mi. On our way again, I discover that Spiff likes to stop at historical markers.
This is in Coffeeville, TX.
0426mi: Speaking of storms, Spiff doesn't want to drive in the snow, so I take over while he stands watch atop the dashboard.
I sure as heck don't want to drive in it, though.
But you don't argue with Spiff...
Next page: We Drive Into The Storm..."
Copyright © 2005 By Dimitri Hammond
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