Lufkin Day

Beverage: Patron margarita

Toast: Kurth Kids Can!

I got up this morning and drove the five hours to Lufkin TX. According to Wikipedia, Lufkin is "deep in the heart of East Texas". The drive was long enough to be sure, but there was pretty much nothing to see on the way. There was a BBQ joint that had a smoker in the shape of a giant revolver. Smoke came out the barrel. I might have to go on the way back.

But I knuckled down and made the trip. Here was my chance to be the King of Lufkin: they love Kurths there and here I was. First chance for glory: checking into the hotel. I arrived at the place and stepped into the lobby. I beamed at the girl and handed her my ID expectantly. She runs it through the machine and there is pause. And then.... Nothing. No hail to King Kurth. Just... Nothing.

She creates the key wordlessly and gives me the keys. Hurm. I cover the pain with a brave smile and retreat to the room.

Time to get my gear in order before the afternoon light sets in. I switch the battery out on the D40 and then flip it on. Oopsies: I gave Matt the SD card in Maine back in July and never replaced it. I find a Target on the way to my rest stop and head out. Target in Lufkin is like WalMart in Texas. Oh the humanity. I buy a card and struggle to get it out go the pack. I finally do but the camera doesn't like it, so I'm screwed. Off to the first stop: Kurth Primary School.

This is the one I was worried about. A single guy taking photos at an elementary school raises eyebrows these days, so I was glad to find the place empty.

 

Next stop: Kurth Library.

It's only a few miles away so here I am. At first, the place looks abandoned, so I'm happy. But then I see a lone guy hanging around. Hmm. It's closed and a hundred degrees out: what is he doing there? I set about to shooting the outside sign and then head over to the main entrance.

Five or ten snaps and he's on me. What am I doing? I explain briefly and we chat about the building. We go back and forth a bit. He's an out-of-work electrical contractor who grew up in Lukin. The more we talk, the weirder he gets and the more I want to scram. By the time he's talking about the doom of Lufkin, I'm hiking it across the empty parking lot and waving a hurried greeting back to the gentleman.

I loop around to the the other side of the building to see if there is another opening with a sign. Just a loading dock. So I type my next destination into the GPS. Back around to the front and I see the contractor talking to a young woman. They see my mustang and stop talking and watch me wordlessly, they turn their heads following me own the street.

It's a little unsettling and plants a seed within me.

 

 

Next: trouble on Martin Luther King blvd.

 

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