The Texas Chapters in The Thrill of The Chase

This video looks at the eight chapters that comprise the Texas section--"First Grade" through "Gypsy Magic." This section is mainly filled with snippets of family life and school life, memories of middle-class day-to-day happenings in central Texas, as the country was climbing out of the Great Depression. Temple, Texas came into being when railroads converged in the middle of wide open prairie. The railroad hub was a magnet for money and people looking to get ahead. In the late 20s newlyweds Marvin and Lillie Fenn would have been excited and hopeful about all that Temple offered. In the Texas chapters, Forrest shoots straight about what his family had, and didn't have. He is appreciative of having known love and stability at 1413 N Main Street. Yet the Fenns weren't wealthy--and Temple certainly had its share of wealth. The rich kids meant opportunity for young Forrest, who wasn't cutting it academically. He could fashion marbles, tops, and yoyos, and sell them. He was driven to succeed, foreshadowing a way he could carve out a place for himself in business decades later when the stakes were much higher.

[@LUISFIGUEROA-ib1nb]

Amazing, you are one of a kind, the depth is just amazing.

[@derekdwn]

500 subscribers! congratulations!

[@smellthesunshine4425]

Seems like I should give that person a balloon or something.

[@TheSchmidt62]

Another outstanding presentation! Nice work.

[@wrongwaycorrigan2492]

You pull it all together, catching angles most of us maybe hadn’t thought of or weren’t looking for. While it all makes sense, you put a lot of depth to the explications. You have a lot into these videos. Appreciate you sharing your time & even a bit of humor :)

[@upzang]

Another gem. Once again, I savored every second of your fascinating production. Thanks and God bless 🙏

[@Cupid213]

Your voice puts me in a trance. Its like I go full circle in mood in a good way of course.😊

[@smellthesunshine4425]

I never knew I had that power.

[@rowdyyates7247]

Great video. What do you make of FF pointing out "Copperfield crap" (and misquoting) then specifically doing just that in the book: saying where he was born, what his childhood was like, what occupied his parents, etc.?

[@smellthesunshine4425]

His "introductory chapter" is quite short, not a lot of detail--not compared to your typical (auto)biography, that might spend 50 pages on background/setting.

[@meh937]

Excellent video, Matt. Thank you for bringing Depression-era Temple TX to life for us. Most of us would not have had the time or ability to research this as thoroughly as you have, especially searchers like me who grew up far from the American southwest. I wonder how much of this information was 'at your fingertips' (being a Texan), and how much digging did you have to do for the rest?

[@smellthesunshine4425]

MEH Thanks, Mike. That’s a tough question. I’m not a walking encyclopedia, so I had to dig. But I had a base knowledge that surely helped, and probably curbed me from slip-ups, like when a non-native speaker gets prepositions wrong. And things jump out at me when I read about my home state, as they would anyone with theirs. It was fun learning about Temple’s early/glory days.

[@mickbuchholz1559]

I could listen to you all day, everyday. If my teachers would have taught, as you are teaching, I would have begged to go to school "even" during summer! Brilliant! God bless, love Dawna

[@sandrarannells5689]

Nice commentary. I agree that you bring a Ken Burns flavor to this video. I do feel as if you have overlooked an important aspect to the Me in the Middle chapter. Thanks for schooling me today 😊. Totally enjoyed it.

[@smellthesunshine4425]

Sandra Rannells I had to leave a lot out. But maybe I just missed something. Would love to hear your thoughts.

[@sandrarannells5689]

@@smellthesunshine4425 I know everyone has their own perspective, but I think how Forrest says he looked up to Skippy but wasn't allowed to look down on June speaks of a deeper meaning. Also, the fact of knowing that they have all passed on mirrors the first line of his poem. He has gone alone into his memories and sees his treasures boldly. It's where we keep our secrets and the memoir hints of riches new and old. This is my interpretation of the first stanza of the poem and why that chapter is important. There is one more piece of the puzzle here but I don't want to point out what I think it is. Hope this makes sense to you. Let me know what you think.

[@smellthesunshine4425]

@@sandrarannells5689 Thank you for sharing that, Sandra. The word "chase," of course, stands out in this section. But if I saw a direct connection to the poem, I probably wouldn't mention it ;) I will think further on the chapter and what you've shared. Thank you for spurring me to do that.

[@sandrarannells5689]

@@smellthesunshine4425 yeah I walk a fine line between useful conversation and sharing too much. I like getting feedback from others who may see some of the hidden gems that I see. I think I love the complexity of this Chase wrapped in the simplicity of the book and poem. I am also studying the Beale code. I think I am frying my brain, lol.

[@smellthesunshine4425]

@@sandrarannells5689 Not at all. Our minds have to stay busy or we lose the ability to think deeply, memorize, and calculate. I think it's great that you're studying the Beale code. Make a video!

[@LUISFIGUEROA-ib1nb]

I'm from Houston Tx too.

[@smellthesunshine4425]

Oldskool713G Forever Truth I’m from northwest Houston; 1960 area. How about you?

[@mranonymous2082]

I've had everything solved for over a year and the majority of people were oblivious to any of this. How about you stop telling everyone in the world how to solve this. You're killing me.

[@LUISFIGUEROA-ib1nb]

Im first lol

[@okiechestchaser1499]

Nice.....................I cant wait for your next video!!!

[@carstenschulze8517]

This video not only deserves an Oscar, I'll give you 11 out of 10 hunting-hats, with best regards from Germany;-)

[@smellthesunshine4425]

Carsten Schulze Hello, again! I don’t know about your math, but thank you. I hope you’re well.

[@carstenschulze8517]

@@smellthesunshine4425 I'm doing well, thanks, hope you too!? Well, there's two questions left after watching your video: How long does it take you to produce such a video like this, I mean from planning, researching, filming, editing? It looks like it must take you months or you have a team of ten guys behind you. And second: why don't you have found the chest? I mean your videos are so well researched, they're going so deep, that it makes me wonder, if I'll ever have a chance to find it:-) Anyway, again an outstanding job man!

[@smellthesunshine4425]

@@carstenschulze8517 I'm doing well, thanks. And now my wife is happy and doing well because I'm done with this video! I wouldn't be able to devote so much time to them, except for the shelter-in-place order here. I don't like sitting around, accomplishing nothing. I need a project. And I enjoy it thoroughly--every aspect. The only thing I don't like is watching my videos and seeing the mistakes ("Totem Caper Café" . . . ugh!). Anyway, this video is about my home. My neighborhood. I used to work in Deep Ellum where Blind Willie Johnson recorded that song. (By the way, Eric Clapton, when in Dallas on tour, always makes a pilgrimage to places in Deep Ellum where early blues musicians recorded.) I'm interested in the history here, and could have included much more. For example, when the Barrow Gang ("Bonnie and Clyde") rolled through Texas in '32, they shot a Temple man in his front yard, about a mile from the Fenn's house. Some people may think the kids in the pictures are imitating those criminals, but actually they're acting out radio programs and stories they saw in comic books about The Lone Ranger and Wild West characters (some of them gangsters, admittedly). I'm from Houston, and have been to Galveston a hundred times, so I enjoyed learning about the railroad too. I'm not sure about the hours. I arrived at the project with knowledge of my home state, and a base knowledge about these chapters in TTOTC. But I spent maybe 15-20 more hours reading and chasing down specific information. Then comes the script, illustrating it, and production. I learned a lot about Temple. The least enjoyable part is knowing what kind of illustration I want, but not being able to pull it off in PowerPoint. So I cut corners and use photos and snippets of video from other sources. I'll never monetize my channel, so I hope it gets by under the "educational" umbrella. That's certainly the spirit of why I'm doing this. Are you familiar with Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi? “The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times . . . The best moments usually occur if a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.” I testify to this. I full admit these videos take many hours (I have no help from anyone, except for the sources I lean on); but it's a time of hyperfocus and deep satisfaction.

[@carstenschulze8517]

@@smellthesunshine4425 Man, your answer is like watching one of your videos: it leaves someone speechless behind with a dropped jaw;-) Also the fact, that you're doing this videos all by yourself without any help or a production-team in the background, what makes me appreciate your work even more. And last but not least the fact, that you don't monetize your video, Kudos! You should really think about filming a documentary about your chase while BOTG - but I know your wife will probably kill me for this idea;-) Serious, as I mentioned under your last video: I'm since seven years now in the Search, and I think I can say that I saw any video from any channel, that is dealing with TTOTC, but I never saw something of that quality, presentation, Depth, Information and so on. You can see and feel the love to the subject in every scene, but my favorite is always the last minute of your videos, man they're made so professional and leaves me behind with goose bumbs. Did you ever work in the film-industry or for a TV-Channel? It honors you, but stop beeing a perfectionist and let me assure you, that watching your videos is awesome. There's no reason to be upset when you found a mistake, really, but I can understand your thinking. I worked for 20 years as a sports reporter and the first thing I did after a 16hour-day when coming home was reading my article for the 28. time, looking for mistakes, and if I found only one typo, my evening was ruined. I never heard of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, but not only I like the phrase. Im also testing out exactly these limits while searching for that box of gold. It's a mental challenge, that brought me far beyond the borders in my mind, and it's still doing this every day while I keep on searching. I don't know what you're doing for a living, but you should work on TV-Documentaries, really....I'm a Documentary-Junkie since im a little kid and your videos are of outstanding quality. Maybe you should think about that, if you wanna try out a new job;-) I hope your skills while BOTG are not that good than in making those videos, otherwise I'm afraid that the hunt will end this summer;-) Keep up the stunning work, can't wait for the next video and hopefully a funny evening in Yellowstone in 2021;-) With best regards from Germany

[@smellthesunshine4425]

@@carstenschulze8517 You're too kind, Carsten. Thank you. I'm glad you can relate to the perfectionism--reading your own work for the twenty-eighth time . . . exactly! I'm definitely going to make videos when I head out this summer. I can't wait. I've never worked professionally in media. How cool to learn that YOU have. You were a sports reporter--that's interesting. Did you only work in print media, or did you comment on live soccer matches, etc.? Twenty years means you must have switched careers. Please tell. I would switch careers, if I could figure out a way to do it without a huge dip in income in the interval, while I build something up. Especially now, with college expenses, and the economy in the toilet, I don't see how I could make that kind of a move. Unless I suddenly came into a large amount of treasure.....

[@fennestforr9577]

Very well done! 👍 I see First Grade with subtle hints to WWWH and NPFB with subtle hints which moves me toward the HOB.

[@cynthiameachum1309]

Holy moly, Matt, my vocabulary is devoid of enough praise for these videos you have blessed us with. After watching yours, I feel so inadequate when I contemplate making a Fenn/Chase related video. I even mentioned this to Forrest in an email, and he kindly suggested that I continue, so I will. I guess I have the advantage of local scenery. Also, it's cool knowing you use iMovie as your platform... I do as well and recognized the Ken Burns effect which makes simple folks like me look like geniuses when it comes to composition and editing. I loved your references to Eddie Haskell and the Beav... we must be similar in age. As time passes and the pandemic keeps us mostly sheltering in place, after you complete TTOTC, I hope you continue your videos showcasing and breaking down the stories in "too far to walk", followed by Once Upon A which. Heaven forbid if we are still mandated to stay home that long, though... Keep up the good work... I am definitely envious of your skills, and that voice of yours. You should get paid to read audio books!

[@smellthesunshine4425]

I love your videos! I'm so glad you make them. (Thank you, Ken Burns, and your simple but powerful effect.) I turned 50 last year, but it sounds like such a ridiculous number, that I've chosen to act like it's all a joke. I'm 38 or so in my mind, except when my back hurts. Perhaps you'll allow me one more TV reference. This one is slightly before my time, but I think we all know it. When I think of you, Cynthia, I think of Dragnet and the Joe Friday character ("all we want are the facts"). I really appreciate the way you use your detective skills to approach the evidence and methodically move toward your target. Joe Friday always caught the criminal!

[@cynthiameachum1309]

@@smellthesunshine4425 Ha Ha, thanks for the compliment. OK, you are almost an entire generation younger than myself. I guess that's why you didn't use clips from "Father Knows Best"... keep 'em coming!

[@jmcalhoun4233]

Fine job I Think Forrest will be impressed with your walk down memory lane and if any info is incorrect I'm sure he'll chime in.....Must bring back some fond memories.

[@dac6332]

Very beautiful my friend. Your rhythm of dialogue is truly perfect. Kudos!

[@michaeloconnell8779]

I love your videos. Thank you...

[@davidkrump8249]

I'm just going back through these because they are so well done. I want to say something about Bessie. There's no way that they owned a cow on that property. I grew up on a dairy farm. There's so many problems with them owning a cow. First, cows don't just make milk. They need to be bred and have a calf. And even then they need to be bred again and again. Cows dry up when they don't have a calf. They don't milk forever indefinitely. Then there's the logistical problem. They left for Yellowstone for three months every year. Where did the cow go? It can't take care of itself all summer. But the biggest and funniest part is the sheer amount of hay and manure that would be produced even by one cow. There should be a chapter about Skippy and Forrest selling manure to garden clubs, because that's how much extra manure they are going to have in two months of feeding a cow and shoveling out manure. Did the principal have a giant pile of shit in his backyard? I doubt it. And even later, in TFTW, "Jumping The Milk Truck." Why was he working for the milkman in the morning when he should have been milking his miracle, imaginary cow? I am not sure where I totally screwed up on this fun chase, but I'm just laughing picturing Forrest carrying gallons and gallons of water out to the cow. A never ending task of carrying water out and milk into the house. It's so inefficient with one cow and no pasture. Did the cow just roam the tiny yard and poop everywhere? In two weeks of hanging around even a moderately sized rural yard, an acre or two, that yard will be littered with manure and unusable. I don't know what the chapter intends to be telling us, but there's no way that they kept a milk cow. Had they done so, Forrest's first foray in the business world would have been selling manure because they needed somewhere to put it all. And then, there should be a story about bringing a bull into town to breed with Bessie. Where were all of Bessie's offspring? What happened to Bessie every summer? And most importantly, that garage would be inhumane to keep a large bovine in all alone. It's small, poorly lit, nearly unventilated. A solitary milking cow, presumably with its calves taken from her, would not live long in such an environment, especially in the scorching summer heat. Cows are herd animals and don't mentally do well when alone for any length of time. I find it more likely that there's something to that story, and it isn't dairy husbandry at all. I bet the cow is there as a sort of that era petting zoo for one of the kids' birthdays or something fun like that. It could simply be there by design of the labyrinth. He has a bull, so why not add in a cow. Why not multiple old ladies giving him pie deals? Everything seems to have at least two choices at every turn when ferreting out hints. Skippy has two flying machines, but even his car's radiator fan behaves like a propeller. And there's no way Skippy built a Helicopter designed machine at that age. They weren't even in existence in anything but prototype form when he was a child: see Earhart's Gyro-copter thing. This is such a strange work. Isn't it?

[@marygreen5461]

@Smell the Sunshine, just started watching, you have solved a mystery for me, i grew up in a Polish & Czech , Slovenian hood, and so i knew what Svoboda meant. all ways wondered if Forrest did. nice vids, you remind me of my HS lit teacher, thanks to her i got A's

[@bryangates7548]

Great presentation! You know, when I first started reading TTOTC which was just last year (new searcher) I could tell Forrest was going to turn out to be a Maverick. He was a middle child, not a bad thing, but the child in the middle tends to be lost and trying to find their place. You are right, over time Forrest found his way and shined! I had a cousin that was a middle child, we were close growing up. But as we got older and grew apart, he was not able to find his shine. Life is not always fair, you must learn how to turn a bad moment into a learning experience for GOOD!

[@500pieces5]

Wow! Santa Fe wasn't unknown to Forrest.

[@texastea9860]

Whoever gave you a thumbs down needs to be taken out behind the woodshed! Your videos are brilliant! Please keep them coming.

[@smellthesunshine4425]

That's very kind. Thank you. Yeah.... I don't know what to say about thumbs down. If I don't like something, I can just watch one of the other nine hundred trillion other things online. Why someone would go out of their way to boo you publicly is beyond me. Some people don't know how to behave. I reserve a thumbs down for when I think the world would be a better place if the video didn't exist. Like if it's hateful, hurtful--that kind of thing. But I think some people click thumbs down simply because I don't support their interpretation. You don't agree with me? BOOO! HISSSS! Can you imagine going the world with that mentality? Anyway, I take it in stride. Everyone is allowed their opinion. And that concludes my thoughts about the downward pointing thumb.

[@mikewoodd4432]

@@smellthesunshine4425 you know what, I just automatically take every single thumbs down left on KZbin but without a comment, as a lazy piece of graffiti left by an idle child with a marker pen. Ignore, or maybe feel sorry for the parent who surely hoped their progeny would have turned out better...

[@mikenodine6713]

@@smellthesunshine4425 Hahahahaha... What if KZbin's algorithm is the entity responsible for randomly giving thumbs downs? Have you ever seen a video by anyone about anything with more than 100 views and a dozen or so likes that does not have at least a couple of thumbs downs? What if KZbin is designed that way as some kind of psychological mental brainwashing thing that subconsciously conditions you to submit to KZbin/corporate authority and to keep you motivated to get and stay on the hamster wheel they want you on, earning KZbin, not you, a PROFIT?

[@smellthesunshine4425]

Mike Nodine That’s an interesting theory. But this behavior harmonizes with my view of humankind.

[@damenjacobs]

All I can say is wow! I can’t wait to see your interpretation on the poem itself!

[@smellthesunshine4425]

Damen Jacobs There’s only one scenario where I share that 😉

[@mikenodine6713]

@@smellthesunshine4425 And I would argue THAT would be a mistake! I don't think the Finder should ever reveal the correct solution. Unless of course, Forrest recommends revealing it.

[@smellthesunshine4425]

Mike Nodine I think part of most people’s fantasy is explaining to everyone how smart they were. They figured it out. But I’ve always maintained that like any magic trick, once the secret is revealed, it will be tremendously disappointing for people on many levels. No matter where it is, it will just be a square of earth, and the formula for getting there will seem simple. Hindsight may bring out ire and frustration, directed mainly at the finder.

[@damenjacobs]

@@smellthesunshine4425 Understandable lol.....What do you think Fenn is talking about in the first sentence of the poem when he says "As I have gone alone in there"? Do you think this is the hiding spot? Also, do you think it ties into "Begin it"? Is "it" and "in there" the same place?

[@axleroy]

Another connection to the Catcher is the Idioms. Cigarettes with no names on them -Marijuana cigarettes. Billy joe ray is a real person you can google him he died in 1966. John Charles and Ora mae conveniently have their last names missing. The obvious connection is John Charlie Fremont and Ora Mae Washington. The only connection I can find between the two is the nickname Trailblazer. When Ora Mae calls Marvin a cheap one pony show Then Forrest uses the disclaimer “I never new what that meant “ I have figured out one thing anyway when he uses that phrase you need to figure out what it means. Same with the jar of olives. “Can you imagine that” “What was that all about anyway” lol we need to figure that out. The Catcher is deeply intertwined with the The Thrill of the Chase and I believe holds the key to figuring out the mystery of this treasure hunt. I enjoy your videos the depth of the analysis is refreshing. Happy hunting all !

[@smellthesunshine4425]

In 1936 cannabis was demonized by law enforcement. There may have already been local laws and regulations against it, but in '37 the DEA made it illegal. Christian groups preached against it. In a town like Temple, with a church on every corner, it would have been unthinkable for the school janitor to smoke pot publicly--with children present, no less. Now, if you think this story is largely fiction, and each detail a symbol or a hint, then of course you can think this represents pot. But why this symbol? The most straightforward interpretation is that Ora Mae rolled her own cigarettes, which was the norm in the early part of the century, but was increasingly becoming the practice of poorer people only. I know folks see Fremont and Washington here. I think it's a stretch.

[@axleroy]

Smell the Sunshine I was just looking up the meanings of idioms and that is what you get when you research it. Like Forrest has said he looked up the meanings of words especially nouns when he put together his poem. Why wouldn’t he look up the meanings of idioms when he wrote his memoir? The bite a hard biscuit one comes back as timid when you research it. The whole memoir is peppered with idioms. Like you I have traced the Catcher through it.

[@smellthesunshine4425]

@@axleroy I get that. Maybe you're right. I just can't imagine the Lanier School turning a blind eye to drug use around small children. Public cannabis use wasn't tolerated like that. But maybe I'm reading it wrong. Thank you for inhaling this information and passing it to me....

[@axleroy]

Smell the Sunshine lol it may be some kind of backhanded reference to Ora Mae Washington. I too am not convinced the reference to John Charles and Ora Mae but can’t help but go down the rabbit hole. Ora Mae’s sister died of Tb before she began her athletic career. Marijuana was used as a early treatment for Tb. Also the cheap one pony show could relate to her too. She is a hall of famer in Two sports tennis and basketball. Here’s too rabbit holes lol have a good one.

[@mangorick]

There is an Ora Mae Howell who is buried in block 54 of Hillcrest Cemetery in Temple, b. 1/261904, d. 6/8/1986. This person may -- may -- have been the same Ora Mae that Forrest wrote about.

[@amberkillough]

This video was excellent! I look forward to all your content. Thank you for the hard work you put into each one!

[@smellthesunshine4425]

Thank you, Amber. Can I ask--Is your name Irish? How do you pronounce it? I'm wondering how much of the old country you retain in its present form.

[@amberkillough]

Smell the Sunshine Yep, definitely Irish. It is pronounced like pillow, but with a K. I married into the Killough family. Being from Texas, have you ever visited the Killough monument around Nacogdoches? My husband is a descendent of the Killough family who was part of the Killough Massacre.

[@smellthesunshine4425]

@@amberkillough Very interesting. I'm in Dallas, and I've spent weekends here and there in east Texas. Spent a weekend with my guy friends in Neches a couple of years back. But I've never visited the Killough monument. I'll add that to my list. Honestly, I'm 90 minutes away and locked in this house. If it's open to visitors, I might go soon!

[@amberkillough]

Smell the Sunshine It can be hard to find, but if you can find it, I think it would be worth it. (If you enjoy history, which appears to be the case). There is not much to it, just a very small fenced in cemetery with a monolith in the center. But there is something about being all alone in the dense woods of East Texas and knowing the history behind the spot. I haven’t been in years, but I know they were having a problem with graffiti. Hopefully that has been addressed and it isn’t an issue anymore.

[@smellthesunshine4425]

@@amberkillough You've definitely piqued my interest. The whole quarantine thing is weird as far as getting out and about; but maybe going to an isolated landmark wouldn't be a problem. I would have made a visit to Temple for my video, but I worried that snapping pictures around Temple might lead to a visit from Temple PD, and maybe a fine.

[@jillianclayton1192]

Excellent stuff! Very well-done and one can watch all of your presentations in one binge-Sunday afternoon to get a better perspective of Forrest Fenn and his books. It also makes me wonder if there's an interpretation of "WWWH" that we may not have thought much about -- that the journey outlined in the poem may begin in Temple, TX and ends up in one of the Rocky Mountain states. Great job, your work is appreciated!

[@copperbettin2939]

Great work! The way you think offers much insight into the psychology of Forrest. Keep opening your mind.

[@CT-gv2xn]

Another killer video! The community is loving em! Thank you🙌🏻

[@bulletsandbikes8943]

Many famous people from the past have less of a biography written about them. Feel like I’m back in school. I believe ffs’ intent was to be remembered and this is for the history books. Bet he will be smiling when he watches this. As always thank you..

[@kiwisroad]

Thanks for sharing and teaching history and your perspective 🤠🦜🤙

[@relicsapprentice9637]

Wow! Incredible research and interpretation.

[@500pieces5]

I wonder how old Forrest was when he first went to Santa Fe.

[@deborahlindsey6074]

Excellent! Very professional!

[@mustlistengood3346]

Forrest has to be astounded with how his memoir, and life in general, are being analyzed, but no more so than with your videos. I don't think he could have possibly envisioned it. As a Texan, I really enjoyed your history of Temple. It's a reminder, along with Forrest himself, of the kind of environment my parents lived through. Thanks for the hard work. No place for Biddies is a chapter that really stands out to me. It's almost an "aberration".

[@smellthesunshine4425]

Must Listengood I’m meeting lots of fellow Texans these days. Thanks so much for watching and commenting.

[@dabear7335]

Kudos to the subtle wit

[@T___Brown]

You say what I was thinking while reading and re-reading and re-reading. Great videos and I just love the presentation of it all. Well planned and thought out and recorded. Thank You so much for this. It's a great break from rooster phone calls and trying to figure out WWWH.

[@smellthesunshine4425]

At about what time does the rooster phone start ringing these days?

[@T___Brown]

@@smellthesunshine4425 Feels like everynight between 8-10 central

[@martybyrd2141]

"Well I want somebody to tell me, answer if you can I want somebody to tell me, just what is the soul of a man..."

[@smellthesunshine4425]

Even if you're not a believer, makes the hair on the back of your neck stand up.

[@martybyrd2141]

@@smellthesunshine4425 I get around the religiosity by imagining it's really about Willie struggling with the "hard problem" of consciousness 😁

[@TheDalby001]

Sounds like warm waters halted in Temple.

[@delysejaeger3466]

Outstanding presentation! You bring it all to life, and transport us. My grandfather was at Baylor in Waco, just up the road from Temple during the 1930s. Wish I had first hand stories from his life at this time. Thank you for walking us around the neighborhood!

[@delysejaeger3466]

Oh, and all the clever references are a delight!

[@smellthesunshine4425]

Offtrail Jaeger Another fellow Texan? (I grew up in Houston, but live in Dallas now.) That’s the thing-stories from regular, daily life from our grandparents are fascinating and other-worldly. Everyone should write their memoirs.

[@delysejaeger3466]

Smell the Sunshine Fellow Texan! I also grew up in Houston. Bellaire HS 1980. I live in Sonora now - quite the opposite, and still have ties with Houston. I agree, everyone should write their own memoir and I’m inspired. The history and photographs in your video are wonderful.

[@delysejaeger3466]

And...I enjoyed your closing, as well as my brief day time visit to Deep Ellum. Would loved to have experienced it back in the day. In doing research I came across a lynching and don’t recall now if it was Temple or Waco and, well I guess words fail me.

[@smellthesunshine4425]

@@delysejaeger3466 Thank you for the nice words. Okay, I can place you: south of River Oaks and Westheimer. We lived off the Katy Freeway next to Westchester HS when I was very little, and we used to head over the Medical City and the Museum District just east of you. My mom loved the Houston museums and theaters. I've visited Sonora. That's God's country right there.

[@tysonmoree3915]

inhale and excel

[@treasurefinder6557]

"Temple" - we get it.