HEB

Xmas eve Olive and her Dad were in a liquor store getting supplies. They said they were enjoying the cacophonous bustle of a very diverse Portland booze shop when the (late 20 something) door guard approached Olive.
 "Excuse me Mam." Olive asked him if he wanted to see her ID again. "No, I just wanted to ask to see your bag. Looks like it says HEB" 

She said yes, half our family are from HEBtown. She asked "Are you from Texas?" He said yes, he is from a city called Corpus Christi (never heard of it). He was stoked to see a logo he knew so well. "Do you miss Texas?" she asked. "Well...I miss Wataburger" he replied. I relate. Wataburger is the first and last place I visit during Tejas visits.

Austin in the house

I live in a 1922 bungalow that rents two bangin' rooms out to Air B&something...Every few days we meet new forks from everywhere-elsistan and do what we do.
Last week was a couple from my home state.
I hit it off with the fellow right away as he had just been on a pot safari all over town and we had something to talk about right off. We sat in the dark on the front porch for hours, watching the people walk by, smelling the flowers and talking about our favorite places in Austin.

It was great to talk to a metro-texan because that made it easier to tell him about places in town he would like and how to navigate.
One of my favorite attributes of Austin is something that can be found many places in Texas.
The smell of pecan trees and river rocks...and dirt.
Those smells have been intoxicating to me my whole life.
I was pleased to hear about the Austin bike scene and the happinin' things going on there.
He gave me the lay of the land too as my Austin referenced were dated (1990s).
Austin is a magical place to me because I was never there in bad company.
I was always with people I adored so I see the place as a gem in my mind.

The last day for the Texans came. We were filming something out front as we said goodbye.
We are single serving friends so this time I had no idea what the dude looked like nor he, me.
We had only sat in the dark exploring each others heads and roasting bowls. It was funny seeing him in the light and realizing he didn't look like who my imagination thought he looked like (close but no cookie), He was surprised too with wide eyes "What are you doing on that huge frikkin bike!!!???"

Check out the conservation status of peyote. It's threatened in the wild. I don't like seeing members of any ecosystem go extinct. This plant comes from my home ecosystem.
Peyote cracks me up.
This was the easiest drug to find when I was growing up in South Texas. Corpus Christi has the typical pushers you would find anywhere else...Grey haired Hispanic ladies.
We would just go up to any typical porch and ask in Spanglish "Hola Senorita How much for the ugly little cactus" and she (impressed that we were into horticulture) would say "$3 Mijo" with a smile. Worked like a charm.
Unfortunately the score was not as fun as the chase.
It's a heavy trip.
Maybe you aren't always wanting to spend 6 hours way up on a watertower talking to your ancient ancestors until sunrise.
A lil dab did me for life.
I recommend everyone lose your mind (in a controlled environment) at some point for personal growth but then let it be after that. lol
Maybe keep one on the porch for their sake.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peyote

It started out as a conversation about hot sauce.

We were talking about how I  turned a corner about hot sauce after trying my friend Shane's Ghost Pepper sauce..

" So you're Spanish but don't like hot sauce?"
"I'm not Spanish, I never been to Spain."

"Do you speak Spanish?"
"Not much, you would only really hear it if I was kicking you're ass, saving your ass or ordering Mexican food. I grew up talki'n regaler "Merican English."

"Then you are Mexican?"
""Nope, my time in Mexico can only be measured in hours, none of which were spent being born."

You must be Latino?"
"No, I'm terrified and fascinated with ancient Rome but I'm not Latin."

"So do you call yourself Hispanic?"
"I already told you I have nothing to do with Spain, I'm from Texas."

"Oh.. you are a...a.. Taquito?"
"Are you trying to say Tejano?"
"Yes Tejano, Like Selena the Tejano star."
" Correct, but I think The Tejano Star may have been the name of my high school newspaper, funny you know who Selena is."

"Texan huh? Did you have a horse?"
" I had a BMX bike and a surfboard (but if it makes you feel better I named them both Trigger).
"A surf board in Texas?wtf??"
"Yes Texas is situated next to a little thing we like to call...the ocean."
"Ha! Dingo surfs it up huh?"
" Ha yup, 20 years ago. I didn't say I was great at it but I did put my hours in doing dawn patrol."
"Wow, it's like I don't know you."
"We don't know each other, but it was nice talking to you."

Then we spent 10 min. in awkward silence until we came to my bus stop and I got off.

oliveanddingo.com