Brady, TX: The Heart of Texas

Miles since last blog: 25.0
Miles Total: 2439.0

Route

I'm in the heart, a lot of towns in Texas say it, that they are the heart of Texas, but Brady not only means it but is geographically the closest to being correct I was informed tonight.

The man telling me was Brian, who I am staying with tonight. Another day, another shower and life is good. Twice in a row now as I have been ready to set off into the night to see just how far I can go and shave a bit off my walk the next night since I had no place to stay, I have been saved from myself by a good samaritan.

"Where you going?" Brian shouted from his car.

"California," I yelled back. He asked if I needed food or money and after a donation offered me a place to stay at his dad's house (his father apparently is one of the many people in the area who sleeps with a gun under their pillow) down the street a little hesitantly. I, of course, accepted. The only catch was that I had to go to a party with them for a while because he couldn't leave me alone in the house, I was, of course, amenable to this too.

It was pretty fun too. I was one of the few token white guys in the Mexican-American congregation and although I said I wouldn't drink I gave in with very little arm twisting, in fact they may only have looked at my arm sideways and that was enough. I ended up playing 'Washers' which is a pretty simple game on the level with shuffleboard, cornhole, beanbags and horseshoes in which you throw what looked like about 2" washers across a yard and into or around a piece of PVC pipe. If it goes in it's 5 points, if it's within 2 washer lengths it's 1 point. We were at 17-16 on the road to 20 when the game was called on account of drunkenness unofficially, which means our teammates sort of just wandered off and forgot they were playing.

I turned into a small time celeb for a half minute too which is always amusing. People were taking pictures with me and asking questions, they also all thought Brian was insane for offering to let me stay with him and Forest Gump and Serial Killer jokes ran rampant. I had a few good laughs and conversations, the best of which was with Brian, before we headed back and I got a shower. If this isn't the heart of Texas, it is certainly close, nowhere have I had such luck and warmth with continuously finding places to sleep and shower. I feel fortunate to be here doing what I am doing again and I just hope I can spread a little of that around.

Oh yeah, and to Chasity from Pizza Hut, "Hi there, and thanks for letting me sit so long and hang out."