Some time after 2 this afternoon an email came to my attention from a reliable source, let's call him Fort Worth's Deep Well, telling me that he'd been asked by another reliable source to tell me I should drive down Carter Avenue.I always do what I'm told to do. Usually.
So, I stuck my camera in my pocket and hopped on my trusty steed and headed towards Carter Avenue, having no idea what I would find there.
I thought maybe a Thanksgiving Eve Block Party was underway, celebrating the news that Chesapeake Energy is backing off on their threat to run non-odorized natural gas through a pipeline running under the homes along Carter Avenue.
As soon as I turned off Beach Street on to Carter Avenue I saw flags, lots of American flags, in front of every home on Carter Avenue,
then more flags when I turned left on Sanborn Street, flags all the way to Mother Nature on Scott Avenue, a monument that continues to weep over the damage done to the Tandy Hills by Chesapeake Energy.
How has Mother Nature lasted so long? Has it not been 2 long hot summers and 2 long cold winters that she has sat there? She looks no worse than the last time I saw her, maybe as long as a year ago.
Back to the flags. Was this the people of Carter Avenue celebrating that the American Way had worked? That truth, justice and doing the right thing had prevailed. That they had used the power of their freedom of speech to let other Americans know about the threat being directed at Carter Avenue?
Following the American flags down Carter Avenue leads you to Mother Nature. That has to mean something....
4 comments:
Well put, Mr. Durango. It would have been a shame if you, the unofficial chronicler of life around what the locals generally call Eastern Hills (thus a high school with that name), had not made your mark on this pretty significant--if not historic, in terms of all this invasion by the gassers and their gassing fields and gassing equipments--occassion. I agree with you that those American flags express everything that is positive regarding this whole fight--for life and death, literally. Maybe these people are thinking of the lines from the National Anthem. Maybe you could print the words and let your readers reflect and compare what the song said and what has occurred on Carter Ave., one small battle in a long war against tyranny and inhumanity (maybe that's where the ever strong Mother Nature comes in). But truth, justice, and the American way certainly would sum it up pretty well also. David kicked Goliath to the freeway might also be approppriate.
LAND of the free. HOME of the brave. Our home has always been Mother Earth with a capital E. Land is much more than what we can take to the bank despite what absentee landlord, Mr. Thomas may think. How much more meaning do we need to fight the Chesapeake-XTO machine? Our land and home are one and the same. Well done Durango.
The man fighting to "hold on until help comes on little Alamo" is right on. He seems to be a student of history. if so, he must realize that like during the Texas revolution, it is the goodwill and help of "volunteers" from other states and territories like youself now whohelp the Texians overcome incredible odds. The massive monument in front of the Alamo in San Antonio and on the capitol frounds in Austin attest to this fact and signs of appreciation for the help of neighbors, from near and far. You are more of a true Texan than you may realize, Mr. Durango cuz it ain't the outfit or the twang that make you a true Texan--it's the spirit and the grit (not exclusive to Texans, of course). You display those very traits, good neighbor.
Thanks for making me an honorary Texan, Anonymous #2. I am proud to serve.
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