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Interview about Winter Texans, who spend winters in Texas

AlaskaAV

GONE WEST
Mission, TX
I may have posted this before and if so, guess you will have to put up with it again.
It was really interesting to me though.

I was sitting out on my patio watching TV and having a cool one or two (or three) when I saw this strange car go by toward the office. Not long after that, here it comes back and parks in front of my place and this guy and gal (or is it gal and guy, I forget now days) got out carrying a shoulder supported video camera. They introduced themselves of course and told me they had been told I was the person to talk to for an on camera interview about Winter Texans. Sure, no problem and after talking for a while, I got up and got them a brewsky also.. Hate to drink alone unless I am not with someone.

They laid out the basics of what they wanted to talk about and that I should just be myself and forget there was a camera there. I had been on camera live for TV enough I felt comfortable so this was going to be fun, after all, they were easy to talk to.

OK, off we went about the description of what a Winter Texan is. Those from the northern part of North America, usually from the midwest and Canada that travel south in the fall to spend the winter where there is no snow and hardly ever freezes. We discussed the different parts of the country the Winter Texans came from around here so kind of laid that out. Usually, those on the east coast go to Florida in the winter and are called Snow Birds. Same with those that go to southern Arizona where they are called Snow Birds also. Than of course there is southern California and best I not comment on that. ;-)

On down the list of things they wanted to ask about. What do the Winter Texans do while here. Off I go on a tangent of volunteer work in all kinds of areas, especially medical, library, schools, etc. The Rio Grande Valley in the winter would really be hurting without the help.

Seemed like every time I said something, they came up with another question not on the list and there I go again off on another tangent. What was so interesting was that they had only asked for maybe 20 minutes but by the time it ended over an hour later, they had run out of film.

OK, back to the final part of the interview. Next I came up with just what the Winter Texans here in the Rio Grande Valley of deep south Texas do for the kids across the river in Mexico from me.
All summer long, many would start collecting clothes, toys, toiletries, etc and everyone would put them together for a trip to various parts of Mexico along the border to visit orphanages where the kids had nothing. I would try to describe as close as I could the reactions of the kids in those orphanages the joy those people gave them.

As an added thought, I explained what a few of us did in Korea in the late 1950's. Because of my Army assignment, I had a Jeep on dispatch 24/7/365 authorized to go anywhere I needed to go so our Sergeant Major and my First Sergeant would come to me to drive them to orphanages on Sundays to deliver huge boxes of clothes that had been collected by wives. It always got to me when I watched how the system worked. The boxes were given to the oldest child and he would look at each item and call out a name. He made sure everyone got an equal amount.

Anyway, about that time, the cameraman had to stop. Seems his wife had started crying from the way I was describing things. He said he had never seen her do anything like that before so I guess I must have got my message across.

Another day that was worth while to just wake up.
 
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