{"id":1985,"date":"2014-06-08T20:21:44","date_gmt":"2014-06-08T17:21:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dknolte.com\/?p=1985"},"modified":"2014-07-05T10:38:25","modified_gmt":"2014-07-05T07:38:25","slug":"im-from-texas","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dknolte.com\/?p=1985","title":{"rendered":"I’m from Texas!"},"content":{"rendered":"

D<\/strong>amn, that sounds good!<\/p>\n

Working overseas, asking a person where they are from is a good way to break the ice.\u00a0 I listen patiently as they tell me their home state, and when they ask me, I point to my boots and proudly state, Texas!<\/em><\/p>\n

In places I travel, sometimes my State Department ID is not enough.\u00a0 That’s when I pull out the ol’ Texas driver’s license.\u00a0 I kid you not.\u00a0 I have found that little card from Texas has more sway than a diplomatic badge with my picture on it, and the words U.S. Department of State<\/em>.<\/p>\n

A few months ago, I had to go to one of the Turkish military compounds to help with a situation.\u00a0 I gave the guard the usual State Dept. ID and he looked at it and said, “I need more.”\u00a0 So, I gave him my “Sam Houston” card, and he exclaimed, “Ah, Texas!”\u00a0 I replied, “Yes, sir.\u00a0 Best country in the World.”<\/p>\n

Believe it or not, that scenario has played out several times since being in Turkey.<\/p>\n

Once I had to make an emergency flight to Adana and when I got to the airport, I realized to my horror, I did not have my passport or Turkish ID card.\u00a0 I called back to the Embassy and was told to try using my State Dept.\u00a0ID.\u00a0 So, I did and it wasn’t enough.\u00a0 I pulled out the driver’s license and she said, “Yes, yes.\u00a0 This will work.”\u00a0 So I was able to make a round trip flight and check into my hotel in a foreign country with only my Texas driver\u2019s license.\u00a0 Amazing, even to me.<\/p>\n

When I first arrived here, all three of us in the office hailed from Texas.\u00a0 So the walls are adorned with the Texas flag, and four clocks: Turkey time, Greenwich Mean Time and two showing the time in Texas.\u00a0 What else is needed?<\/p>\n

Back in December, our Texas born Seabee returned to the States and his replacement is from California, or Florida or someplace bizarre.\u00a0 So, he felt a bit slighted the office was a shrine to the Great State of Texas, and proceeded to let his opinions be known.<\/p>\n

He took a Texas clock and placed a sticker on it insinuating the clock was showing Florida time instead.\u00a0 A few weeks later, I replaced the clock with a Texas clock that could not be altered.\u00a0 So far, it has remained.\u00a0 Rightfully so.<\/p>\n

The Marines at the Embassy have their own house, which understandably has a bar.\u00a0 So, I purchased a Texas flag to hang where all could see and enjoy it.\u00a0 As a gratuity for my actions, the Detachment Commander, “an American by birth and Texan by the grace of God”, purchased a special Texas glass for me to use when I am in their bar.\u00a0 All Marines are told, that particular glass is for Mister Nolte and no one else is to use it.\u00a0 It pays to be a Texan in so many ways.<\/p>\n

While I was gone from the office one day, our little cleaning girl, Nadia, came in and cleaned.\u00a0 Over by my cigar humidor, I have a bumper sticker my boss gave me which says, “… you may all go to hell and I will go to Texas”<\/em>.\u00a0 This is a quote from the Texas Hero, Col. David Crockett.<\/p>\n

Someone told her what it said and she found it to be a beautifully profound statement.\u00a0 I don’t really think she understood it, but it did have the words Hell<\/em> and Texas<\/em> in it, so she found it profound.\u00a0 I know in some places in the State, the difference between Hell and Texas are not well defined.<\/p>\n

Now, every time I see her in the hallway, she has this enormous smile she gives me.\u00a0 The next time I am in the office when she shows up, I’ll give her the bumper sticker to enlighten her life.\u00a0 She will probably name her firstborn after me.<\/p>\n

Instead, I will tell her to name the little one, Samuel Houston or Stephen Fuller\u00a0Austin!\u00a0 Give the credit where it is due.<\/p>\n

Keep kicking butt.\u00a0 Dwaine (Texan)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Damn, that sounds good! Working overseas, asking a person where they are from is a good way to break the …<\/p>\n

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