Walking Backwards - Prologue
Setting the stage for the third collection of not quite true tales of Texas
Next week I will post the first episode of "Walking Backward," the third collection of not quite true tales of Texas. Before we get going, let's recap what happened in the first two collections of not quite true tales of Texas.
The Cold Days of Summer
The Cold Days of Summer is set in Odessa, Texas from the early 1960's up to late May of 1976.
West Texas is a harsh land and hardy folk live there. They learn to take pleasure from the smallest of gifts. These same folk, because of the vastness of the land and sky, often live large and talk loud.
Drew Remington, the narrator of these not quite true tales of Texas, was born in Odessa in 1958. Drew is not that different from his friends, save that he hears and see things no one else does and the dead visit him in his dreams. He might be a little crazy but he learned early on that no good comes from letting others know that. While Drew can't always tell the difference between the real world and the dream world, he does know a few things:
not everything is what it seems,
sometimes he can force himself to see the world as others do,
it's one thing to be lazy, it's another thing to be a fool,
most times the dogs in his life know best,
and by the time he is a sophomore in high school he appreciates the satisfaction that only a cold beer can bring to a harsh day.
Many times in Drew's young life he has been supremely confident but utterly wrong. Before long he gets used to taking two steps forward and one or more steps backward.
The Hollow Men
The Hollow Men starts in the summer of 1976 after Drew and his friends have graduated from high school.
Rick and Drew stay in Odessa while many of their friends have gone off to college, either north to Lubbock or east to Austin or San Marcos.
The oil boom in West Texas is going strong and Rick and Drew are working on the periphery of it. Rick identifies an opportunity: a way of filling in the gaps between oil tank manufacturers and oil/gas producers. In 1978 Rick and Drew form VP Tanks, a two-person firm that buys tanks from the manufacturers and sells them to oil/gas producers. It's a profitable, low risk business as long, as Drew says "you get out while the getting is good."
The years pass quickly. Friends graduate from college, some get married, some start families.
The day to day lives of Rick and Drew have a consistent weekly pattern: Monday through Saturday they run VP Tanks, they drink too much too many nights a week, and on Sunday, while playing golf at Golden Acres Country Club, they plan out their next week.
By late 1981 the oil/gas industry has gone boom crazy. Decisions are made on the belief the price of oil will double in the next year. Too many people, too many companies are over leveraged: borrowing money to make more money.
Drew and Rick aren't leveraged, their business has essentially been a cash business and they have managed to save most of their profits. Both have invested in real estate: Rick in Odessa and Corpus Christi and Drew, anticipating attending the University of Texas after VP Tanks is gone, in Austin.
They have taken the approach of riding the ride you're on for as long as you can and hopefully getting down before you get bucked off.
By late 1982, the warning signals of a bust are prominent enough Rick and Drew start to execute their exit plan. Rick has a breakdown and Drew on his own shuts the doors of VP Tanks at the end of April 1983.
Drew leaves Odessa for Austin and the University of Texas in August of 1983. Rick stays in Odessa and slowly recovers from his breakdown. In August of 1985, shortly before Drew completes his Master's degree his father is killed in an automobile accident in Odessa.
In the summer of 1986 Drew is in Odessa for his high school reunion. He has an epiphany and is able to help his friend Rick wake up and return to the real world but this version of Rick seems convinced that he is God and all knowing. Other than that Rick seems like his old self.
At the end of The Hollow Men Drew realizes he has been living a directionless life but still has hope for the future.
The Main Players
The Living
Drew Remington – Drew’s primary motivation is to do enough to get comfortably by, have enough money to have a good time, and stay out of trouble. Two things that makes Drew unique is that he hears voices and sounds that no one else does and the dead visit him in his dreams.
Rick Anders – a close friend of Drew’s, more pragmatic and hard working than Drew. Always looking for the angle and to the future. Together they form VP Tanks and by 1983 are nicely set for the future.
Mark Johnson – Drew’s closest friend in high school. Conversations with them get a little strange as they seem to have the ability to complete each other’s sentences. Where Rick is pragmatic and hard working, Mark is always interested in having a good time. At the end of The Hollow Men, Mark is a CPA in Austin, Texas.
J.T. Billings and Sue Madison – Two of the rare decent people that one comes across in life. Put them together and the goodness and decentness is almost more than what Drew can stand, but he considers both of them dear friends. J. T. and Sue are married and own a home in Goldsmith, Texas. J.T. works for Shell in downtown Midland. Sue is a teacher at Nimitz Junior High in Odessa.
Jason Kline – Jason was in the same first grade class with Drew and it was from Jason that the legend of Werd was first heard. Jason finished in the top 10% of the 1976 Permian graduation class, received his Petroleum Engineering degree at the University of Texas and by the end of The Hollow Men is working for Exxon Production Research in Houston, Texas.
Barry Rains – Played varsity football and basketball at Permian his junior and senior years and was in several classes with Drew and Jason. He graduated from Southwest Texas State University with a degree in Communications and at the end of The Hollow Men is working as a sports broadcaster in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Jack Blessing – Lived two houses down from Drew from elementary through high school. Jack is a year older than Drew, but “took a year off” the first time through ninth grade and had to repeat it. At first Jack comes off as the neighborhood bully but over time Drew realizes Jack is the most hard working, loyal and determined person he knows (save for perhaps Drew’s Dad and Rick). Drew helps Jack get back on a good academic track and from that point on Drew knew Jack would always stand by him. In The Hollow Men Jack moves to Austin, graduates from the University of Texas and is a manager of an HEB grocery store.
Mike Garret – a year older than Drew and has known Jack since childhood. Mike was a starting defensive back for the Permian Panthers as a junior and senior, but a lack of size and speed did not lead to any opportunities to play college football. Mike works at a refinery in Andrews, Texas.
Eugene (Gene) and Joyce Remington – Drew’s parents. Drew’s relationship with his Dad is a love/hate relationship that often burns hot. Joyce loves her family and is often the quiet, sane person who helps calm down a situation. Gene has worked in the oil/gas industry since his time in the Naval Construction Battalion during World War II. Gene and Joyce moved to Odessa in the mid-late 1950’s after their first son, Edward Stanley Remington, died at the age of four in east Texas. Gene through most of The Hollow Men is an oil field sales representative for Cody and Teague Steamers. Joyce has an office admin job in downtown Odessa.
Elizabeth Blessing Tyler and Bud Tyler – Four years younger than her brother Drew, Elizabeth is everything Drew doesn’t appear to be: extroverted, motivated, popular, top of her class. Elizabeth and Bud were high school sweethearts, went to Texas Tech together, got married in May of 1981, in November of 1982 became the parents of twins George and Mary. Elizabeth and Bud both graduated from Texas Tech, returned to Odessa and bought a home there.
Bill and Sherry Remington – Drew’s uncle and aunt. Bill is several years older than his brother Gene (Drew’s Dad) and moved to Odessa after World War II. Bill is more calm and stable than Drew’s Dad, but they clearly come from the same bloodlines. Bill is a vice president of the National Bank of Odessa. Sherry was a teacher during their first years in Odessa, and is active in the Junior League of Odessa.
The Dead
Tommy Myers – A close friend of Rick, Drew and Mark, Tommy died in a car accident west of Abilene in October of 1975. After Tommy’s death, Drew sometimes dreams of a field where Tommy is waiting.
Socks – A dog that Rick hit with his car on the way back from Golden Acres Country Club one evening. Socks was waiting in the field when Tommy died.
Gene Remington - Drew's dad who died in a traffic accident in 1985. In the dream world Drew and Gene continue their difficult relationship.
Kaiser - a full blood Weimaraner that Drew and his Dad found on an oilfield road in west Texas in the spring of 1970. He lived a long life and died in his sleep in the Remington's backyard in the spring of 1983.
Daisy - the Keller's family dog, who died in Drew's arms after she had been hit by a car.
Stan the Skeleton Man - First showed up in a dream with the Skeleton Dog (who is Daisy) in September of 1981. Stan claims he reflects Drew’s inner state. Stan sometime seems more complete, meaning that Drew is finding purpose and meaning in his life. Other times Stan is nothing but a skeleton, meaning Drew is living without direction and purpose.
In everyone's life, there comes a time when hope alone is not enough. Drew's dead friend Tommy will soon warn Drew that he needs to start playing the game and quit being a pinball waiting for someone else to play the flippers.
Next week: In Episode 1 of Walking Backwards Drew returns to Austin after his 10th year high school reunion, ponders all that has happened and follows up with Rick who shifts from being one of Drew’s closest friends to being a little too all knowing for Drew’s comfort.