Tom Kirkendall at Houston’s Clear Thinkers links to this nice article in the NY Times by Martha Woodruff titled The Bus to Houston.
Tom writes:
Check out this interesting story of how a young woman’s bus ride to Houston in the 1960’s led to a better life. A redeeming quality of Houston is that it attracts folks who are looking to improve their lot in life. I hope that quality never changes.
He might have as well have been talking about my mom’s story.
In 1978 my mom was a 32-year old single parent trying to raise 5 kids on her own on a waitress’ salary in El Paso, TX. Needing to make a change, she studied and worked her ass off and became one of the first women switchmen for Southern Pacific Railroad.
However, the job required her to move to Houston — 750 miles away. One of my mom’s sisters moved in — along with her two sons — to take care of us while my mom took a bus to Houston to start her new career.
My mom lived in a cheap motel near the rail yard, and saved every penny she could. Six months later she moved us all across state (my aunt and my two cousins, too) to the Houston area (Spring, TX).
That bus trip my mom took was the start of a brand new life for all of us — and it truly was a better life. That’s why I’ll always consider Houston home, no matter where I live.
Good story about your Mom.
I’ve always liked Houston, from the first time I saw it as a kid, when my oldest brother went to UofH on a football scholarship.
Left by no2liberals on January 27th, 2008 at 11:21 pm