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May 4, 2021
Growing Up In Bandera
By Glenn Clark
The Bandera Prophet
If you get bit by a snapping turtle he won't let go until it thunders. Don't cross your eyes or they will get stuck like that. Don't swallow those watermelon seeds are you will have a watermelon growing in your belly. Don't run from those wasps just close your eyes and they won't sting you. The lessons we received from adults were not always totally accurate.
Go ahead and run, you'll come home when you get hungry! Keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about! Other lessons were 100 percent accurate.
Family trips were always good after we arrived at our destination. Getting there with all six kids crammed into the family car was somewhat trying with people always invading someone else's space. For me, going to Grandma Clark's house on the south side of San Antonio was usually an uneventful fairly short trip around Loop 13 and I would be anticipating having a lemon meringue pie waiting for me. For sure grandma made me one every year for my birthday. It was always exciting when I stayed with her because she didn't drive, so we took the bus everywhere we went. Pretty darn exciting for a country kid.
The ice cream truck making its daily run in her neighborhood would keep me occupied for hours anticipating his arrival. I would listen intently as he made his way up and down each street before getting to Sharmain. Each time the truck stopped the music was silenced and I imagined he had run out of ice cream before I was able to have my turn. Then the music began again and I once again had hope. That nickle Dreamsicle was always well worth the wait on a hot San Antonio day.
Back home in Bandera, The Corner Drug Store and The Bantex Theater concession stand were the places to go for a summertime treat. A two-scoop ice cream cone or a cherry coke were my favorites. I sometimes pretended to like a suicide because it was the latest drink fad and I wanted to be cool, but truthfully it was terrible to drink.
Any kid Growing Up In Bandera during those times would agree that a watermelon on the banks of the Medina River was the best treat ever. Hot dogs and roasting marshmallows were a close second.
#280 2021
Go ahead and run, you'll come home when you get hungry! Keep crying and I'll give you something to cry about! Other lessons were 100 percent accurate.
Family trips were always good after we arrived at our destination. Getting there with all six kids crammed into the family car was somewhat trying with people always invading someone else's space. For me, going to Grandma Clark's house on the south side of San Antonio was usually an uneventful fairly short trip around Loop 13 and I would be anticipating having a lemon meringue pie waiting for me. For sure grandma made me one every year for my birthday. It was always exciting when I stayed with her because she didn't drive, so we took the bus everywhere we went. Pretty darn exciting for a country kid.
The ice cream truck making its daily run in her neighborhood would keep me occupied for hours anticipating his arrival. I would listen intently as he made his way up and down each street before getting to Sharmain. Each time the truck stopped the music was silenced and I imagined he had run out of ice cream before I was able to have my turn. Then the music began again and I once again had hope. That nickle Dreamsicle was always well worth the wait on a hot San Antonio day.
Back home in Bandera, The Corner Drug Store and The Bantex Theater concession stand were the places to go for a summertime treat. A two-scoop ice cream cone or a cherry coke were my favorites. I sometimes pretended to like a suicide because it was the latest drink fad and I wanted to be cool, but truthfully it was terrible to drink.
Any kid Growing Up In Bandera during those times would agree that a watermelon on the banks of the Medina River was the best treat ever. Hot dogs and roasting marshmallows were a close second.
#280 2021