Like most of the other boys around my age living as teenagers in Bandera I was familiar with jobs common to the area.
Hauling hay and fence building were a couple of the most demanding but after enduring two dishwashing jobs in local restaurants at a younger age I was more than happy to do either one of them.
Being outside has always been preferable to inside work. I had a job at the Phillips 66 service station and later at The Free State Oil Co. that I enjoyed while I was in high school.
My younger brother Eddie and I worked for our uncle Phil Kindla when it was sheep shearing time.
We helped herd the sheep into a holding pen and then tended the gate for the Herrera shearing crew.
That herding part is when I learned the value of a good Border Collie dog. I also learned that petting a working dog was a big no-no.
For wages we each received a lamb to raise for the local livestock show. I received the same number of awards for raising livestock as I did for washing dishes.
It is a fond memory for me recalling when we delivered the huge sacks of wool to the Wool and Mohair Warehouse in Bandera.
That old building is still a great place to visit and is now occupied by Western Trail Antiques and Marketplace.
Other jobs I had as a young kid helping my uncle were fire watch as he was doing some pear burning for his cows during the severe drought of the 50’s and also following him with his truck as he moved his tractor from field to field around the area.
I don’t recall exactly how old I was when driving his truck at that time but I remember having to sit on the very front edge of the seat to reach the pedals.
Back in the day it was considered a nice convenience to have San Antonio just a one hour drive away allowing us access to a better paying job opportunity than what was available locally. I wore out more than my share of vehicles making that daily drive over the years.
Fortunately in my later years I was provided a company vehicle which helped with expenses.
Back in the day I knew just about everyone I saw on the road making that daily commute because they were so few and mostly kinfolks. Made many new friends over the years by making regular stops at Pete’s Place in San Geronimo.
Judging by the volume of traffic on the roads every morning now I wouldn’t even venture a guess as to how many folks make that daily round trip.
Currently my Growing Up In Bandera story is about staying at home as much as possible to care for the wildlife around my home in the neighborhood formerly known as Polander Town.
I try to avoid any and all reasons to travel to the big city. While Helotes is still doable, honestly I’d rather not.
