Tuesday 2 April 2013

Texas Rain

The Texas oil industry is said to have started with the Lucas Gusher in 1901. For some 10 days, until it was capped, 100,000 barrels a day spouted from the ground. It is said that from that time US oil production tripled overnight.

My grandfather worked on that oilfield. He was a rigger. He stood atop the great gantries that were used to position the drilling equipment. He was the king of the universe, hanging on, hooking and unhooking cables, barking directions to the drivers and the haulers.

We asked him to tell us the story again, about that day. We were very young. No more than nine or ten. We would sit on the floor listening. He would settle back into his armchair, close his eyes and begin recounting. He would describe how it was, sitting on top of the boom, eating his sandwiches with the crew boys, when the well blew. He remembered the sound, the terrific bang, then the rushing the whistling, the noise. He would recount how the oil spouted up over 200 feet into the air. He described how they were completely covered in the thick black sticky liquid, even the men in suits with clipboards who had come down from head office. He told us about old Billy sitting right next to him, ending up head first in the cooling trough. On he would go, keeping his eyes closed as he remembered the day.

Then, he would get to the end. He always finished the story the same way. “...and that was the second best day of my life. The second best day of my life, was the day we had rain in Texas."

Lke clockwork, we would say “tell us about the best day of your life grandpa, tell us..”

He would slowly open his eyes. “Another time,” he’d say,”another time.” And with a wink that was only visible to us kids, he’d look across the room towards my grandmothers knowing smile.
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Written for http://www.trifectawritingchallenge.com/2013/04/trifecta-week-seventy-one.html?m=1

www.trifectawriting.com week seventy one on the following definition of the word rain:

"to take a lot of money in bill form and toss it up in the air. This is most effectively done at a strip club for the effect of raining one dollar bills on the dancers (and it makes them feel so pretty), or to snub a hater by throwing money into their face that then falls to the floor like rain (use this when paying a debt to a punk bitch who keeps asking for their money to the point that they are ruining your friendship or when dumping someone who has been bankrolling you for a while now that you're making money).

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=rain

14 comments:

  1. How beautiful, riches yes, but the best day and the most wealth..from his beloved, lovely read.

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  2. Love this story, Rog! And Texas oil as money is perfect.

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  3. I love the kids' wonder and the sweet love story at the end :3

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  4. Such a great description of life at an oil rig and of course the best stories are always from real life-best told by
    grandparents:-)Loved the sweet ending-love comes first-always!

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  5. This story itself was really well-told and the ending was the cherry on top!! Delightful Rog!

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  6. Aw, that was sweet. I could totally picture this scene. Great write!

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  7. Great story and great writing. Love the exchange of smiles with grandma!

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  8. Great story - Lovely dialogue.

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  9. One of my favorite interpretations of the prompt this week, and so authentic - if you told me your grandfather really told this story I'd believe it. "The day we had rain in Texas." Good one, sir.

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  10. Great telling of the story. I love the description of the oil covering everyone. And capped by the sweet look to Grandma at the end. Nicely done.

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  11. I love the sweetness in the end of this story! It gave me goosebumps!

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  12. I love the use of the prompt, black gold. Clever.

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  13. That was a very refreshing read. I love to hear tales from grandfathers and grandmothers. I love to imagine how it would have been in those times.

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