I grew up in the small farming/ranching community of Claude, Texas. I was the son of a share crop farmer and we had to depend on God to provide the water for the wheat and grain sorghum that we grew. Life was simple (I didn’t live in a house with an indoor bathroom till I was 11 years old!) but it was also a time that was happy and one that shaped my values. Everyone knew everyone else and the community was one large support system---meaning you couldn’t do anything that wouldn’t be reported to your parents! I remember the cold, clear water that our windmill pumped, low humidity and cool nights (even in the middle of the summer) and the pleasure of working the soil.
My parents have been dead for a number of years and I have lived in the Dallas area for 44 years; yet I still think of Claude as my home! My brother Von and I are going to a reunion there in July and I told him that we would see a lot of old people. His reply was that we would be in good company! FYI: The Paul Newman film Hud, which won several Oscars, was filmed in Claude and my green 54 Chevy convertible is in the rodeo scene!
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