"FatmanE" wrote in message
news:20040113184014.15319.00002874@mb-m12.aol.com...
> >Subject: Re: Charlie Wilson's War
> >From: "Ted Gittinger" tgittingerbounce@austin.rr.com
> >Date: 1/13/2004 3:17 PM Central Standard Time
> >Message-id:
> >
> >George Crile and "Good Time" Charlie Wilson did a vastly entertaining
> >exposition at the LBJ Library a few weeks ago, to a crowd of about a
> >thousand folks. Crile is the guy who put together the book on Wilson's
> >exploits in Afghanistan, *Charlie Wilson's War.* Send me a reminder in a
> >couple of weeks and I'll get a copy of something interesting to you.
> >
> >How you keepin'?
> >
> >ted
>
> As you probably know I live in Charlie's old district and have followed
him
> since Arthur Temple moved him from his Big Tin Barn lumberyard in Diboll
to
> Washington. Temple is straight as an arrow and I assume Charlie was too
until
> he got to the capital and quickly went to hell.

I did not realize that Charlie's district included your environs. And oncet
the GOP gets done with their current remaking of the political map, there
ain't no telling about what districts are where. My own district will run
from Austin to the Mexican border, a distance of about two hundred miles,
and at its narrowest is about a mile wide. You oughta see that sumbitch
laid out on a map; looks a little like an anaconda with a real slim gut and
a bulge at each end.
>
> He was a hotdog, which doesn't appeal to me, but there was also a bit of
the
> populist in old Charlie that I admired. He did a lot of good for people
in the
> district.

Indeed you are correct. He is in a long line of Texas politicos--and
Louisiana politicos, for that matter--of populist screwballs. In the long
run I reckon they did more good than harm. But they did leave a certain
amount of wreckage in their wakes.
>
> Did you know Charlie was born and raised in the big city of Trinity? And
> speaking of Trinity I'm wondering if Huntsville and Walker County was
still dry
> when you was there?

I had heard of Charlie's Trinity upbringing, but forgot it until you
reminded me.

And yes, Huntsville and Walker County were indeed dry when I got there in
1967, although towards 1972 or thereabouts they came to their senses. We
used to take that drive north on TX Hwy 19 to get a case or two of a certain
high and mighty beverage, about once a week. I still have some Jim Beam
china decanters I got back then, which my children are sure are worth a
fortune these days. They ain't. But the contents were priceless.

Trinity County was wet, and was surrounded by dry counties as far as the eye
or speedometer could see. Package stores were a cottage industry in that
town. I wish I could recall the name of the BBQ and beer joint on the left
side of the road, just before you hit town. We used to hit that place at
least once a week, after a round of golf at SHSU's country campus. Do you
recall that little number, just north of Huntsville? WWII barracks
buildings, which once upon a time had housed German POWs, and in later years
were married housing for agricultural grad students.

>
> I be hanging, buddy.

You'd best be, or somebody'll be hollering for you to grab pooch. (Miss
Rita, don't ask. I couldn't possibly elaborate.)

ted
fighting the demons