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Weekly Newspaper and Tourism Guide for Ward County Trans Pecos, Big Bend of West Texas

Opinion

Thursday, April 23, 1998

Monahan's Well


By Jerry Curry

Every now and then someone tries to define commitment as in
loyalty as in really wanting and staying with something.

When we moved into the desert a couple of years ago from up
there in Missouri where they have lakes so big they would
cover Ward County, where they have grass so green it never
stops growing, where they have rivers a mile wide and a mile
deep, Val was taken aback by what she considered to be the
parched nature of the area in which we found ourselves.

Being a naturalized Texan already, I hastened to explain to
the Missus that the part of Texas in which I spent 20 or so
years was a lot greener than Ward County. In fact the parts
of Texas in which I spent my formative years (Corpus Christi
and San Antonio) were somewhat akin to your average jungle
where the temperatures were 110 and the humidity was 120.
And yes, they have cockroaches and leeches as big as middle
linebackers in Corpus Christi and San Antonio.

The first positive thing I noted was that the cockroaches in
Monahans and Ward County were very, very, very small and
they were gentle enough to be pets to which Val would reply:
"Why then, do I have to set mouse traps to catch these
Monahans cockroaches?"

I would reply that she was exaggerating slightly and that
even in her exaggeration she could not imagine a cockroach
close to the size of the beasts that haunt the West Side of
San Antonio over by Dora's Green House Bar and Cafe, Mexican
and American Food, cheap and a lot of it. Dora's is such an
exclusive place, it has an unlisted telephone and they
don't let Anglos in. Not being an Anglo, I always was
welcome at Dora's and there were no cockroaches at Dora's.

Another extremely positive thing about Ward County I
identified on first arriving was that there are no leeches
in Ward County. At least I have not met any.

Leeches, though not really dangerous, are particularly
loathsome little beasts akin to an Odessa gangster.

We were talking about commitment.

Two or three people I liked were afraid I would not stay in
Monahans. They were afraid I'd get bored or something and
one day just fly away into the East heading back to the Big
City. Some of them may have been hoping I would do this
thing but I have not.

What we're getting to is this. After a couple of years, Val
also likes Monahans.

There are some negatives. Prices here are too high. It's
pretty bad when you have to drive to Odessa to shop at
garage sales because Monahans garage sales proprietors are
too proud of their junk and charge prices they couldn't have
gotten new. The best thing in Monahans is the people. Val
and I agree on that. No matter what happens, I stay in
Monahans.

Want proof? Val is growing grass in a front lawn where grass
has never grown before. That's commitment.

Decision postponed?


We gagged along with everyone else when the Hospital Board
of Managers voted to postpone a decision again on what to do
with Ward memorial Hospital.

This hospital is necessary to Ward County and it is
necessary to the people of Ward County.

We could not believe that County Judge Sam G. Massey voted
to postpone when he broke the tie of the board members
present. We could only nod our head in agreement when
Hospital Chair Glen Vance told those who voted to postpone
that he did not want a rush to judgment but that judgment
was needed quickly in the decision to on which agency would
be hired to manage the hospital.

We decided that Sam G. Massey voted to postpone because he
truly wanted to give the board members coming on board May 1
a voice in what they were going to inherit from decisions
made by a board on which they had not sat.

Massey had more reasons than that.

He has a few more questions that need to be answered.

Those questions can be resolved in the week ahead.

He, like Vance, believes a decision is necessary as soon as
possible.

We agree with Sam Massey.

We sighed when we heard why he voted to postpone.

Rest assured. A decision will be made. Ward Memorial
Hospital will continue to serve the people of the county.

Champions Weekend


Last weekend, Monahans hosted six University Interscholastic
League district championships and the 4-H District Rifle
competition. Let us say our side did good, real good - six
out of seven championships ain't bad.

But the most exciting thing about last weekend was that many
of our visiting competitors, their coaches and fans left
Monahans with a desire to come back. They liked our little
Oasis in the Desert. They liked the way in which the various
competitions were handled.

A truly large group of them loved the food.

One group from Presidio ate for about three hours on Friday
night at one of our fine dining establishments.

They had fun. They liked Monahans.

And that is a tribute to the whole community.



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Copyright 1998 by Ward Newspapers, Inc.
Mac McKinnon, Publisher
107 W. Second St., Monahans TX 79756
Phone 915-943-4313, FAX 915-943-4314
e-mail monnews@ultravision.net

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Copyright 1998 by Ward Newspapers Inc.