The Reunion at Herb's Cafe by Dan Jenkins

Author:Dan Jenkins [Jenkins, Dan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: TCU Press
Published: 2019-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

14.

SHAKE’S RETURN coincided with the miracle of the West Texas Tornadoes.

Barbara Jane and Billy Clyde were happy to have him back—and clean. They made him a partner in Barbara Jane’s film company, End Zone Productions. I was exceedingly pleased when he arrived at Gully Creek in time for the playoffs and the Super Bowl.

At a Tornadoes practice, Shake said, “They look awfully slow, Tommy Earl. Kind of small, too. How’d they beat anybody?”

I said, “The same way you guys did. Character and conditioning.”

When he discovered that Gully Creek was near the Brazos River, he planned to find a way to work the Brazos into Stud Lovable. I asked him why? Did the Brazos play a part in the story?

He said, “I like the word. There are words readers like to say out loud to themselves. Brazos is that kind of word. Brazos.”

I could only offer his remark a nod.

As delighted as I was to see Shake back home, I couldn’t have been more delighted than Shake when he met Kelly Sue Woodley, the babe Billy Clyde brought on board as his assistant general manager of the Tornadoes.

Billy Clyde discovered Kelly Sue on a trip to Fort Worth to recruit T. J. Lambert for head coach of the Tornadoes. T. J. was all done lifting TCU out of waste management and into gridiron glory.

T. J. demanded that Billy Clyde meet him to discuss the job in a hideout saloon largely known to west-side gentlemen who didn’t care to be seen daytime drunk at the country clubs.

Kelly Sue owned and bartended the establishment her parents left her. The original name of the bar was the Sunset Tavern, but she changed it to He’s Not Here. She preferred something funny. The only food she offered was from the pot of butter beans she made every day with cornbread sticks. When that was gone, there were salted peanuts.

It had taken Billy Clyde two long afternoons in He’s Not Here to persuade T. J. to take the coaching job. And it was in those visits that he became impressed with Kelly Sue. Her smarts, energy, humor, and looks. The result was that he talked her into finding a trustworthy fellow to manage the joint for her.

Billy Clyde didn’t have to worry about Barb being jealous of Kelly Sue’s looks. Barbara Jane was secure in her own falling-down beauty. The ladies met when Barbara Jane dropped in on Gully Creek for a surprise visit.

Kelly Sue said, “It’s all over town that you and Shake Tiller at one time were tangled up in a love knot.”

“I was for years,” Barbara Jane replied. “Until I discovered he was more in love with himself.”

Kelly Sue said, “That is so inconvenient, don’t you think?”

Shake was introduced to Kelly Sue when she walked into the GM’s office while Billy Clyde and Shake were having a beer and talking about old times.

Kelly Sue said, “My God, it’s Shake Tiller! I’ve been in love with the guy on that book jacket since the first time I saw it.

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