Now That's Texas

I've blogged from Japan, Australia, Vietnam, the USA, and probably a few other countries besides, but this is my first ever blog from the land known as Texas.

A native Oklahoman, I've always had mixed feeling towards Texas, but that's now neither here nor there--for here is where I am and where I'll live, Lord willing, for several years to come: in Texas. In fact, I just signed a one-year lease on a duplex.

About the signing of that lease... It provided me with one of my first "now-that's-Texas" moments. Our landlord let us stay in our duplex several days before signing the lease since he was still getting things organized with the house--e.g. we didn't have any electricity the first night (which was kind of fun actually). Anyway, when he finally did come over to have us sign the lease, I let him in the door and noticed he had a buddy who was just hanging out on the porch. It just so happened that my landlord's buddy was even bigger than he is--approximately the size and dimensions of a bouncer or a hit-man. Then my landlord walks in front of me into the kitchen, and I see he has a large hand-gun sticking out of his back pocket. Then he hands us the lease and says, "Any problems, boys?"
Well, sir, now that you mention it--no, not a one.

Welcome to Texas. The NRA stronghold of the world.

(My landlord's actually a nice guy--former army, grew up in the c-of-c, about my age. But it makes a better story if I leave this part out.)