And he was right.
I made mention to my boss today that, “I been with you 5+ years, this aint my first rodeo.”
‘Coz that’s what people say in Houston and probably in all of this great, vast State of Texas. This aint my first rodeo – or – Oh, he fucked that up good? Musta been his first rodeo.
My boss stopped short, turned and looked me sternly in the face, “You grew up here.”
It wasn’t until later that I really thought about it but man-o-man, he was right.
When I first started in 2004, I had just turned 30 and was fighting it with all I had.
I was still young, I was still cool.
Suuuuuure I was.
On casual Fridays I wore tight ass (inappropriately so) kahki pants and Sha-Sha shoes with blue flames running up the sides. I was more likely to have a helmet in my hand than a satchel. Hair done to my waist. Tattoos still fresh. Ideals still firm. Head still in the clouds.
Since then I’ve endured Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Ike. Moved from New Orleans to Houston. Quit smoking. Quit drinking (or at least on the level that we used to, fosho). Take daily vitamins and fiber and worry about cholesterol and pressures.
I did grow up here.
I almost like it.
