Running out of gas one day in Texas, Emily Gogolak is helped by the county judge. The incident stays with her, prompting an interesting reflection on life in different American states. Retracing her steps to find her former savior, Gogolak discovers a small town with special meaning.
Gordon has served as county judge for over 30 years. The old gas station, he tells me, shuttered about 20 years ago. Since then, he’s helped too many people to count. A few encounters stand out, like a motorcyclist stranded at night in a blizzard. Some preachers. And a rodeo star, which makes me feel better, somehow, knowing that a famous barrel racer would forget to refuel in Amarillo.
Gordon says this year has been slow by his measure. It is late May and he’s only helped five or six drivers so far. To me that sounds like plenty. I thank him again for helping us and tell him how the encounter came to symbolize one of the things I most appreciate about Texas: the unfussy generosity of people you meet along the way here. He doesn’t think much of it—“just a little bit of gas.” But, I say, where else does a county judge come to your rescue? “Yeah, yeah, I hear that a lot,” he admits. “And in a red pickup truck!” I wish him the good fortune of aiding noteworthy stranded motorists his final term as county judge (he’s decided not to run again). He is hoping for a NASCAR driver.
More picks from Texas Highways
It’s Dead Around Here
“A ghost town enthusiast searches for the essence of these scarcely populated locales.”
Friends in Low Places
“At the buda wiener dog races, big personalities come in small packages.”
Gone in Seven Seconds
“Racing pigeons hightail it home in competitions across the state.”
The Gospel of Change
“Traveling in an RV empowers a seeker to make peace with an ever-evolving world.”
The Outlaw Tradition of Noodling for Catfish
“The secretive, centuries-old outlaw tradition of noodling reaches its peak every summer at a Lake Tawakoni tournament with the kings of catfish.”
One Man’s Quest to Transform the West Texas Desert
“An urban dweller ventures to far West Texas with a dream to transform a barren desert into a lush forest.”
