Hello, Stuttgart

The last home where I had a room in Mom and Dad's house.
Dad and Brian and I lived here alone for much of the spring semester before Mom and Lisa moved up (Mom was teaching in Odessa and hadn't yet lined up a job in Stuttgart). I watched a lot of VHS tapes in this house and played a lot of basketball in the driveway (the backboard is gone, but the post stands). I drove the Pontiac T-1000 home everyday for lunch during my senior year (I guess the car stayed in Odessa during the spring semester, but I don't remember ever eating in the cafeteria). I gave up boots and tennis shoes for boat shoes in Stuttgart. Someone threw a big rock through the plate glass window in the living room of this house one night. I saw The Razor's Edge at the cinema and resolved to take the road less traveled. At the time, I thought that meant I needed to go to the uncharted waters of Trinity University in San Antonio instead of the much more familiar TCU in Fort Worth. TCU was a better deal, though, so that's where I went. I came home to this house in the summer of 1988 after my junior year abroad in Spain and Austria.

On this field, I wore #44, started at cornerback, returned kickoffs, executed a fake punt 4th down conversion, got a few plays at fullback, sprained my ankle, and got my first pair of crutches. I had a few highlight days on the practice field, including my first day as fullback, but we lost as many games as we won. Meanwhile, my former teammates at Odessa Permian had an undefeated season and played their last game--the state championship--at Texas Stadium.

This sign was not here when I played at Ricebird Stadium. The 1984 season is not listed. The team before us and team after us did a lot better than we did.

After visiting Ricebird Stadium, we drove by the Lennox Plant where I worked on the maintenance crew during the summer of 1986. I did not comment on the driving lessons I gave Lisa on the backroads here. I did talk about working at the University of Arkansas Agricultural Experiment Station during the summer of 1985.

When we got to Hot Springs, Emi dived in to his first Grisham book:
Jaime says there is an Arabic saying about not going back to places where you were unhappy. He doesn't want to go back to Ipiales, the town where he grew up and where he and Mari were born. I don't have many fond memories of Stuttgart, but in the name of focusing on the positive, here's a top ten eight: 1) Driving with John Miller to the horse races in Hot Springs and the dog races in Memphis; 2) Becoming Mrs. Tompkins' ally in Senior English after her mid-year return; 3) Driveway basketball with Harold, AT, Pedro, and others; 4) The Viking Helm of Intensity worn by friends from Texas--Terry, Glenn, Eric, and Jack--who came up to participate in the Quackman Duckathlon (Dad managed to get an article about this event printed in the local paper); 5) Going to the domed Cinema 150 in Little Rock. When it was built in 1970, it was among just six movie theatres in the country that had a curved 150-degree screen. I saw Platoon there. Turns out it was torn down earlier this year; 6) A surprise party for me held in the Fellowship Hall of the church the summer before I left for Spain. There was a money tree; 7) I learned to play the guitar here after receiving my first, and only guitar; 8) Mom and I got up at the crack and drove to Fayetteville on Saturday, October 6th, 1984 to see Jim Wacker's Horned Frogs upset the Razorbacks, 32-31.

Mud Island

Emilio: "We got to walk on a play Mississippi River. We had fun."

At the National Civil Rights Museum

Emilio: "At the Civil Rights Museum I learned that Martin Luther King Jr died in 1968. I learned that the 13th amendment abolished slavery, and the 15th amendment let black people vote. I learned that George Washington Carver joined Booker T. Washington at Tuskegee Institution and became an internationally famous inventor. I just saw a replica of the bus that Rosa Parks got arrested on. I also saw a replica of Rosa Parks. I got to see a replica of Birmingham Jail. I got to see where Martin Luther King Jr was killed. It was sad. Visiting the Civil Rights Museum was sad and fun."

Good Morning, Peabody Pool

Emilio: "Today I woke up and went to the pool and made a friend. In a little bit we are going to see ducks. I forgot that last night we listened to music. We listened to music about the Sound of Music. In the Peabody Lobby. It was played on the piano. We are going to the Civil Rights Museum today."

Tupelo and Oxford

Emilio: "We just woke up and got breakfast. Now we are going to Elvis Presley’s Birthplace.
"I am about to see a movie. It’s about Elvis in his young years. I’m all by myself.
"I learned that Elvis Presley was in a contest and the winner got 25$. I also learned that Elvis Presley liked movies."

Elvis was born here in 1935.

"I got to see a replica of Elvis Presley’s bed he was born in. I learned that Elvis Presley had a brother that was born stillborn.
"Visiting Elvis Presley’s birthplace was fun! Now we are going towards William Faulkner’s house."

William Faulkner moved here in 1930 and lived here until his death in 1962.

Emilio: "We made it. Fun Fact: William Faulkner loved snakes. Every snake he saw he named it Penelope. Story: One day his sister was going to get married and her boyfriend found a snake in his shoes. He told Faulkner and he said, Oh its Penelope she’s not harmful."

James Meredith made history here in 1962.

"We made it to the Peabody Hotel. It’s super fancy. We walked on Beale Street. We came back and had a Peabody Duck and a Lemon Merengue. Then we went back to our room."

On the Natchez Trace

"Mom and Dad’s anniversary. We woke up and had breakfast. Now we are going to Tupelo on the Natchez Trace.

"It was cool. Now we are in Tupelo. The pool is awesome."

Emi Meets El Mar

Emilio:"We just woke up in the hotel.
"Now we are going to the beach. Can’t wait.
"We stayed there for 4 and a half hours. Now we are going to the hotel.
"The pool was way too cold."

On the Roof of the Astor Crown

Emilio: "We just woke up, and got to eat beignets, a Louisiana donut.
"We just ate lunch.
"We’re about to ride in a trolley.
We’re on the trolley.
We stopped at a park and walked around. It just started raining, pouring. We just got back on the trolley.
We made it back to the hotel. We just ate dinner."

New Orleans Emilio

Emilio: "We are about to see the Mississippi River again.
"We saw it. Now we are going to New Orleans. First we are going to Wendy’s.
"We just stopped at McDonald’s. I had oatmeal, milk, and apples.
"We made it to New Orleans. It is crowded. Our hotel room is awesome. I can’t wait to go on a walk."

On Jackson Square.
On the banks of the Mississippi.

"We are sitting on the banks of the Mississippi River. I got to touch the Mississippi River. Awesome! I am about to ride in a taxi. First time!"*

*The taxi ride, alas, did not happen. We decided to hoof it. (Ed.)

At the Whitney Plantation

Emilio: "We woke up and had breakfast. Now we are going to the pool. We just got out of the pool. We are now going to the Whitney Plantation.
"We just saw a crocodile. His name was Moby. He's dead.
"I just crossed the Mississippi River! Yay!
"We made it to the Whitney Plantation. I can't wait to learn all about it.
"Today I learned that in 1808 it was illegal to bring slaves into America. I also learned about a girl who was whipped until she was nearly dead. Then they cut her back into pieces and put salt in her back. I learned that some slaves were buried alive. I also learned that 2200 kids died at the age of 8 and under in 40 years. We just got to go inside the slave quarters. I also learned that before the Civil War, the Whitney Plantation counted 22 slave cabins on its site. I just got to go inside a slave jail. The slave jail was built in 1868, 3 years after the Emancipation Proclamation. Some slaves stayed in the slave jail than 1 week. While we were at the slave kitchen we saw a lizard. I learned that some slaves poisoned there slave owners. Sometimes with glass. Most of the things on the Plantation are from the late 1700’s. The last time the house we are in was lived in was 1961, and it was first built in 1752. It’s a pretty awesome view.
The plantation was fun because I got to learn things I didn’t know. I just saw some sugar canes."

Louisiana Swamp Tour!

Emilio:"We woke up and had breakfast. We are going to the pool. It was fun. We are leaving and going to an old fort. We made it to Louisiana. We stopped at a rest place. I also got free cookies and lemonade.
"We made it to the fort. It was cool. Now we are going to a swamp tour.

"We made it to the swamp tour. It was fun. We got to see a great blue heron, alligators, bald eagle, ibis, egris, and an owl. Now we are going to the hotel. Our hotel room is awesome. We can't go to the pool today because it is outside and it is to cold."

First Pool Raises Heart Rate

Emilio: "We are on are on our way to pick up Abuela and Abuelo. We made it to the airport. Abuela and Abuelo here we come. We picked up Abuela and Abuelo. "We are going to a hotel. We stopped in Canton to eat. We made it to our hotel LaQuinta. Daddy is making our regestration. I can't wait until we see our room and the pool. Our room is awesome. The pool was fun. My heart rate really went up."

My Summer Vacation by Emilio

Emilio: "Captain’s Log Star Track Date 5-21-15
"We helped take stuff inside ECU. We came back home to get towels. Pretty dull so far. We just stopped for gas. We made it out of Ada. So long Roff. Never mind we’re going back home. Still at home. We just saw a horse. Made it out of Ada again. So long Roff. On our way to Davis. Went under our first bridge. I don’t know why I wrote that. Made it to our first tollbooth. I saw the first star. Man in the moon is smiling. We’re in Davis. We’re finding a restaurant. Daddy is rubbing his beard. We found a restaurant. Mexican food!
"We just crossed the red river. We made it to Fort Worth. We made it to Granddaddy and Grandmother’s house."

*This Captain's log has been transcribed by Emilio from the notebook he updated throughout our summer trip. Keeping a journal during the trip was entirely his idea. Granddaddy suggested that he call it the Captain's Log. I suggested that he transcribe it here.