Lamesa TX

[mellowtigger]

Yesterday, I took the bus to Robbinsdale, the city northwest of me. That's where I visited the CVS pharmacy to get the Novavax vaccination. Afterwards, I walked to my small town bank to deposit a refund check that I got 2 months ago. I've been to Robbinsdale many times over the years, but I've never spent so much time outdoors walking around "Birdtown", the local nickname for it. I had the strange thought, "This place reminds me of downtown Lamesa."

That's a weird thought, since I haven't been there in about 4 decades. As their Chamber Of Commerce describes the city, Lamesa is "the epitome of a small, West Texas town." I agree. The only reason anyone would have to go there is to visit family, which is what we did. That's where my mother's mother lived, until she died in 1981. I certainly didn't remember her street address this morning, but I knew enough details (northern Lamesa, near a high school, at a street corner) that it was easy to use Google maps street view to roam around until I spotted the house. I probably shouldn't have done that. I was disappointed to see that all of the rose bushes and apricot trees were gone, memories that I associate with my grandma, since her watering them is the only reason such plants could exist in the West Texas desert. The cinder block fence I climbed on as a child was still there, but it has seen better days. We've all aged nearly half a century more since those days (and I'm feeling my spine's arthritis more than usual today), so I should expect some wear and tear.

Then I remotely roamed along Main street to find downtown. Here is Lamesa TX. Yes, it does seem similar to downtown Robbinsdale. Maybe it's the bricks in the road that makes the association. Here is Robbinsdale MN where I walked yesterday. Close enough. Maybe it's not so weird that the thought popped into my head when I looked at that small town's street corner.