If you’re not a Texan, read no further… this will mean little to nothing to you and you may even wonder why it would matter to anyone… but it does, and it does because we as Texan’s are proud to be such. Hell, I’ve got the iconic “Lone Star” State Flag image tattooed on my side. So it matters.
Not long ago, I was working with a client in a seemingly nice town in Indiana, with some friendly and down to earth people, my kind of people. As I was headed back to the hotel, I looked up at a restaurant sign which read “Texas Corral”, and chuckled to myself. It seems everywhere you go we Texans find our generation’s version of Dime Novel references on anything from truck beds to restaurants. Seems everyone wants to be a part of our larger than life perpetual frontier. By using the Texas name and recognizable imagery, I guess anyone can enjoy the illusion of a full pitcher while on a cattle drive through Gilley’s with Big Tex, the Marlboro Man and Augustus McCray. I’m more than happy to share my Home State’s good name to help facilitate such delusions of grandeur, and every Texan I know would be equally as happy to oblige. However, and make no mistake about it, we are very proud and extremely unforgiving when it comes to “Messing with Texas”.
It was no more than a second when I realized exactly what I was seeing. The flags on the roof, two American and two Texas were on polls at each of the four corners on the roof of the building, all fluttering in the light Indiana Autumn Breeze, the Texas Flags flown completely upside down; red side up, white side down, white single pentagram in a sea of blue…. Why did I say pentagram and not star? Take a look for yourself.
So I pulled into the Texas Corral, walked in and was greeted by the hostess, whom I proceeded to tell of the travesty I’d just witnessed. Her first question to me was, “are you sure?” I guess the look on my face suggested the necessitation of management involvement as she quickly sought higher ground. I was met by a pleasant enough younger gentleman who asked me if I’d called about it last week. Now I’m no longer merely concerned and standing there trying to right a huge injustice, I’m also offended. Offended, because someone obviously had advised them of this and they’d done nothing about it in a week! As I maintained my composed persona, I asked him who owned this establishment and was pointed to a business card containing the above logo… Not only are our flags flown upside down, but the logo they paid someone to create, has color and “star” issues of it’s own.
At this point, I had only two choices, one of which would have had me making a stand and defending the building as if it were a Mission in San Antonio with only forks and spoons for my army of one. So I chose wisely and retreated with nothing but the owner’s business card and a the satisfaction that I did what I could to defend the honor of my state… My Texas…
