T.

Photos of the barber shop where P. used to get his hair cut as a child.

One dollar per cut. The Andrews Barber Shop sign looms like a giant

abandoned crucifux. As P.'s brother Jim says, "This part of Texas is 

populated by rednecks, surfer dudes and Mexicans. It IS Mexico." 

And it is so unlike anywhere else I've been.

Had a vanilla ice cream soda at Harrel's Drugstore at the lunch counter

in the back. If you are itching for a snack, here are three options:

egg, any style, $.60

tortilla, $.20

gravy, $.40

Also on the menu is a Phosphate.

This is another universe.

98 degrees this afternoon, according to one bank, 93 at another.

By 8pm it had cooled down to 83 and actually felt cool.

I usually melt at any temp. above 75. Don't know what is up.

Joe (a brother) and I made dinner tonight chez-parents:

broiled scarlet snapper, steamed broccoli, a salad of mixed greens,

spinach, avocado, tomato, cuke, green onions, shaved parm.

It felt to good to be handling vegetables, to feel the velvet

slip of the avocado in my hands, the firmness of the cucumber.

And to let those bright vegetal colors into my consciousness:

tomato-red,  avocado-green, pale-green-onion. Realizing how much

I miss them when I'm traveling. Of course, eating out is wonderful

and I love every minute of it, but food prep. is its own pleasure,

its own joy.

I had to spend some time cruising the aisles at heb-mart,

where massive bloody hunks of beef brisket were on sale

for $1.49/pound, and dried pinto beans were available

in a giant bin, for scooping. There were gallon jars of

pickled jalapenos as well as pickled cactus, many varieties

of mole. I picked up a small jar of Mexican vanilla extract

for $2, and mangoes. I love mangoes.