Ropin' The King

It is amazing how life flows….how paths sometimes don’t lead you where you think they will lead. This is a story of a path that was predicted…and has come to pass with almost eerie accuracy.

Shortly thereafter my marriage fell apart and I found myself forty-ish, raising kids and somewhat lost in the world of relationships. My staff at the Frontier Community College decided it was in their best interest to find me love. I think the idea was---their lives might be better if I was somewhat distracted from working so hard. So, I was told I really needed to meet a woman (also forty-ish) who was a student at the college.

I remember meeting Carol and asking this question-----“Where do you see yourself five years from now?” She answered with authority.

“I am going to get my associates, my bachelors and my master’s degrees…then I will become an occupational therapist….and move to Texas.”

Hmmm, I thought…someone with a mission in life.

“Why Texas?” I asked. “Because I would like to be closer to George Strait,” she said.

We ran off one weekend to Ohio and were married. She dutifully earned those degrees and we decided it was time for us to find our own home…our own space on this planet. She told me she would go wherever I landed and I proceeded to send the resume out to colleges looking for a president.

We experienced a near miss at the North Dakota State College of Science where I was a bridesmaid. At the time, it hacked me off. Even though it was -36 on the day of the interview. All expenses were paid for multiple trips to North Dakota.

Next, I got a call from Snyder where the board president, Lee Presswood, said I was a finalist. I asked him what the travel arrangements were for the interview?

“We don’t care how you get here,” he said. “You’re paying for it.”

Carol was living with my mom at the time in St. Louis, wrapping up her clinicals. I didn’t tell her but I had some real reservations about the Western Texas College job. I had a friend at a nearby Illinois college who told me it was a complete waste of my time. They won’t hire a Yankee, he said.

So I called Carol and told her that I was going to pass on the WTC opportunity.

I remember the silence on the other end of the phone. Then, with a stern tone that I have not heard since, she said: “You get in the car…and you get your butt to St. Louis….we are going to Texas for three days. I don’t care if you get the job….I just want three days of Texas sun.”

I got my butt in the car and….as they say….the rest is history. We love it here.

Now that I have told you how I got here…you will be interested to know what my plans are for this weekend. This is the eerie part.

On Thursday, I will drive my wife to San Anton where we will pick up her sister at the airport and I will drive them to an arena near Burney….where I will spend two days watching the George Strait Team Roping. I will do that so she can see the King of Country Music up close.

Five years ago, she said she wanted to be an occupational therapist in Texas so she could be closer to George. Five years later, she’s an OT in Sweetwater, sitting close enough to rope him herself.

Don’t worry…I’ll make sure she doesn’t try to sneak a rope into the arena.

My Texas internship continues….