Return to the Backroads Buzzard's Cafe

The email came in to my inbox on my yahoo account.  I had been checking the page and I had heard about it I sent a money order. I was an instructor pilot for the Latvian Air Force and I spent my time between Smiltene and Riga.  I had come into contact with an airplane preservation group and had gotten enough time to be certified as a flight engineer on a KC-97.  One had made a tour to commemorate the Berlin Air Lift and with the sickness of their flight enginner I was asked to step into a flight to New York.  I explained I had an event in Texas.  He had a buddy that was Jet Blue Pilot out of Texas and would be taking an A-320 into Austin arrangments were made.  I called Micheal Rodgers who was the current camp director and Jimmy Buffet fan he would pick me in Austin and drive me I would get an extra night in the Valley and we would stop at the cafe.

The flight across the Atlantic was amazing.  We had a ferry permit and special tracking equipment was placed on board the airplane but for 12 hours it was near constant work watching the airplane hoping those big pratts would keep working.  I was monitoring the cylinders and the fuel supply as we steadily burned off 100LL.  Long Island appeared like a dream and it was work all the way to landing and shut down.  I was pretty much exhausted in the morning when I was picked up for a Jet Blue flight to Austin.  I was amazed at security their was a double surprise when I showed my US Passport as my ID.  Then I flashed my Latvian Armed Forces ID.  I was asked basic questions and let on after my steel toed boots were were ex rayed.  A Senior Customs official came to my aid and got me through I was thankful there was no connecting flight.  I arrived in Austin that afternoon.   

His hair was grey that is what surprised me.  His welcome was friendly.  I had an Air Force B-4 Bag I dropped it into the trunk and got into the car.  Jimmy Buffet was playing "Changes In Lattidudes Changes In Attitudes" I shook my head "Yeah no kidding."  We slowly departed Austin it seemed to stretch forever the traffic was bad.  I was drowsy from so much flying I was soon in dream land.  My dreams were soon filled with West Texas Scenery I got up We were approaching Johnson City.  Micheal asked "Care to check out the cafe" I said sure.  The drive was special the drive was sweet I was glad simply to be returning.  We took Highway 27 in and then down 83.  My eyes were assualted by the light green everywhere.  The air was humid and hot I was surprised thinking "Aint this late September!" As we passed highway 39 I heard the first lines to Pancho and Lefty.  I smiled.  Shorty thereafter The Backroads Buzzard's Cafe came into view. 

I noticed the runway was a whole lot longer.  I had come a long way and it was now in my site I felt weird.  It was over mile in length I frowned.  The look on his face said it.  I responded "Progressive Sanctification" We parked.  I walked into the familar cinder block building the rock piles were now overgrown with green moss.  My smile could have been bigger.   The place was still dark and aside from the new picture it looked like someone had made an attempt to return the place to where it was when it was built.  I headed to the bathroom and smiled it was as I had remembered it functional yet beautiful looking more like the late 1960s.  I read some of the grafiti Prog Crew 98!  I laughed.  I then headed in The owner approached after he took a long hard look at the opening day photo.  "The legend has returned!" I looked confused amazed"Matthew you do not remember me from Denton" I thought for awhile amazed finally I brought the image up of a sophmore who listened to me and a smile came across my face.  I then said "Got anything for a man who has just been halfway around the world?"  He smiled "Swiss Chocolate Almond Blend Coffee we are HEB distributer " I asked for a large cup with cream and a shot of chocolate syrup. I started laughing it was good deal.  It made sense.  He told how it happened.  I was watching the place taking it in finding it harder and harder to supress both a smile and a tear. 

He went to work.  He started telling the story how some developer had it from Donna for awhile and then after September 11 he wanted to get rid of it.  The Cafe was owned by a frame shop owner from San Angelo and then it was handed it off.  The runway was maintained.  The runway with the asphalt was a pain but the rancher had taken an interest in Matthew and had offered volonteer labor at Cafe.  He walked in "Wow not a cold front I reached out for his hand he hugged me.  He took one look in my eye "Been places serving the Lord I see a healed soul behind those eyes now I know why I got up this morning."  His face had aged some more and snow dotted his hair.  His hands were still calloused.  Matthew described the guy from San Angelo he got the cafe from.  I asked about Kat.  He related to me how she was with Christ stronger for the Lord and that I came up in conversation from time to time she understood why I was the way I was back then.  He continued describing who he got the cafe from.  I started laughing. He then said look behind you!   Sure enough Matt walked in "I heard a rumor you would be at the Reunion!"  My smile was now a mile wide.  I then heard Matthew I got a shot of jack if you want to add to it!"  I said "Sure" I then said how about shots for you and Matt a toast to.  He agreed.  We soon all had coffee in our hands.  I then said "God is good! to the renewal of old friendships made in Christ."  We all touched coffee cups and toasted.  I asked about a the history of the cafe it was diehard yuppie hangout then it faded as the camp got tame now it was considered a good place for some Mountaineers who were making the place popular again on weekends there was some steady air traffic but not as heavy as the peak slightly less then I knew it because of the proxmitiy of MTRs in the vicinity and more then once a T-38 north of the cafe roared near the deck.  It was described I drank and listened.  An old trucker came by and sat down asking for a large cup of coffee he was enroute to Laredo from Menard with a load of cattle.  I watched Matthew serve.  Matthew then started talking about how found old photos of the place and tried to restore it.  I then brought up an old wound I continued 'The state has kill murderers we can not hold animus."  I continued "The death penalty is a statement of intollerance of the shedding of innocent blood I also quoted Romans."  Matthew said amen Matt looked at me strangely.  I looked at him "Its been a while since I have been here"  He then told me what happened to one of my mom's friends from New Braunfels.  I realized my mom and I had something in common I had completely lost touch.  I heard about the death and a wave of anger shot through me.  Matthew looked at me.  I thought to myself looking at the cafe seeing it age but still beautiful "Expirence allows us to recognize we are making the same mistakes as we make them."  Matthew handed me a Bible with Romans open up.  He looked into my eyes and sited the one's whoose murder was etched like a brand on my soul.  This pastor was being reminded.  I then looked at Micheal told me he had the address to my mom with a look on his face was of conviction.  He did not have to spell it out.  Matt said "You came for" I nodded knowing God had taken a blow torch to my life everytime I set foot each time he dragged me kicking and screaming into a blessing which I fought tooth and nail intially yet treasured.  I finished my cup as a couple Mountaineers arrived.  I started walking out singing U2 "A Sort of Homecoming"  I looked up at watch 45 minutes. 

I asked the current owner of the cafe if I could stay up at the cafe.  He smiled but added I would have to work.  It was a surprisingly busy night and then I unrolled by sleeping bag on the kitchen floor.  I was soon asleep.

I saw a familar set of eyes and buzz cut he was walking through the door of the cafe.  "Hey its me Justin your pastor of youth college and singles Trinity Baptist I died your senior year in college and I got wrote out of your memoir.... Mathew asked in the dream "Who is he?  Justin and I told him the story of our relationship.  Justin then said "Some people need more training to be bold and some people Dad has given a bigger job to and bigger inheritence I know why I was left out of the initial memoir but hey I got the opprotunity to come in now so I did."  I laughed a bit Matthew in the dream looked at me strangely "You never..." I nodded in the dream and said "yeah call it repession what you will now you know and now you know how I mellowed some."  Justin started heading to the door "Remember you have not come home yet you will visit your birth place tomorrow but you have yet to see home and Cari says hi and keep up your prayer. "  I asked Justin "When will I go home?"....Justin responded "Bud you should no better catch you later!"  He walked out Matthew laughed. 

The following morning Matthew and I looked at each other "So that was your pastor?"  I smiled.  He laughed "That was a strange way to meet him." I joked "Expect the unexpected"