Rites of Passage

Throughout history rites of passage ceremonies have marked  a person's progress from one event to another.  They come in all manners of activities.  Obtaining a driver's license and making that first solo trip from home is experienced by most teenagers at some point.  Baptisms, confirmations and bar mitzvah are religious rites of passage.  Graduations,  recitals and Quinceanera are others.  Club and fraternal organizations initiations are rituals that fit the definition.  And, of course, the Wedding fits the description.

We have all experienced many life events that define our progress from one state to another.  It was the anticipation of such a change that gave me great anxiety in my preteen years.  Elementary school included Grades 1 thru 6.  After the sixth grade you went to junior high at  a new campus.   From the time you were in the fourth grade you knew about the Rites of Passage to Junior High. All males were subject to this initiation.  

Upper class men in junior high would catch the new sixth grade boys, take off their pants and run them up the flag pole.  A humiliation that I had grown to fear as time to make the move to the new campus got closer.  

The other concern that gave me grief was not a rite of passage as much as it was a different rule.  You had to wear shoes to school.  Most of us went barefooted most of the year.  Wearing shoes was uncomfortable. 

Although the "big guys" never did take my pants off or anyone else's for that matter, we did have to wear shoes.  We all moved to another life stage.

The Super Hero Highway

                                               (Pine Island Bayou, near Hwy 105)

In 1982 we moved from the West End of Beaumont to Bevil Oaks.  We wanted a little land and a more rural lifestyle.   We raised some horses, chickens, a cow and three kids while making the daily 48 mile round trip commute to work.  At first, there were no stop signs and no stop lights on that 24 mile stretch.  A little over six miles of that drive  was on Hwy 105.  At first Hwy 105 was a two-lane road.  Over the years it was widened to five lanes.  Traffic lights were installed at several intersections.  Today,  a couple of fried chicken and burger joints line the drive, as well as six convenience stores.  Heck, there is even a builder supply store and a medical clinic and a few other small businesses.  I remember when the only business on that six mile stretch was a bar.

Today I was riding Hwy 105 to town to get a hair cut and the traffic going both ways was heavy and moving at a rapid pace.  It occurred to me that Hwy 105 was going to continue to grow until it resembled Dowlen Rd.  I recall when Dowlen was a shell road through the oil fields.

It was at that point that I had an epiphany.  Hwy 105 has no name.  It is simply, Hwy 105.  The BISD and the City of Beaumont have been trying to name everything they can for some political, egotistical and/or righteous reasons.  We have the Butch named after the School District Super, the swimming pool at that location named after some school board trustee that is of no significance.   Part of Florida Ave was changed to the name of the baseball coach.  Railroad Ave was changed to MLK.   Other streets have been named after preachers and politicians.
The City is trying to come up with a name for the new pond downtown.

We have named the backstop at Bingman Elementary the Buddy, after one of the kids that grew up playing baseball there.

It is only a matter of time before someone comes up with some stupid proposal to name Hwy 105. Therefore, I am requesting every one's support in naming the section of Hwy 105 from the Eastex Freeway to the Pine Island Bayou Bridge after me.  I have calculated that I have driven approximately 250,000 miles on that section of road.  I once rode my horse to the only business on the highway.  When it was still two lanes, I once passed a string of cars while going 100mph to find the lead car was a Highway Patrol (But, that is worth another Blog).  I feel that I am worthy of having that six mile stretch of Texas Highway named in my honor.  

I am suggesting G-Man, Super Hero Highway.   Feel free to submit other name suggestions.