When you drive out to West Texas. You will see billions of trees.
Starting on I-20. All east of Dallas, Pines. Dallas proper, concrete with pine and oak. Fort Worth, mostly oak and mesquite. Abilene, mostly oak and mesquite, only think - shorter. Big Spring, mostly oak and mesquite, only think shorter than shorter. You get to Odessa, four feet tall oak and mesquite trees (ok, bushes) are all you see. If you see pines, they were planted by homesick people years ago. And guess what, they are only about 8-10 feet tall. Oh, you think that's bad, go out even further west. Kermit, you're lucky to get a tree that's taller than a wet trash bag on the curb on trash day.
Made it. Got to my (Halliburton-paid-for) apartment in the glitzy east suburb of Odessa, Texas. As a first time, first job, first free anything dude, this apartment was lap of luxury. It was bigger than my room on St. Bernard, bigger than any dorm room, Calongne room, or any room than I had ever called mine, in my life. Did I mention it was free?
I just remember the utilities were paid for. Paid for. It was hot in West Texas, A/C 65 degrees, such a waste, but such a grand delight for a 22 year old in the middle of far from home.
I was in love. They had a tennis/basketball court in the middle of the complex. A new driving range had just opened a mile away that was next to Ratliff Stadium (where Odessa Permian played). A couple of good fast food tex-mex joints, Harrigan's Steakhouse, Golden Corral, and a mall nearby. Even a brand-new place called, Graham Central Station, which had all under one roof, a country honky-tonk, classic-rock bar, 80's music disco, and a dance club. As Eddie 'Raw' Murphy was once know to say (sing), 'Party all the time, Party all the time!"
Life was good. Work even better. Halliburton had just hired a big spankin' new crop of college graduates. From all over the world. A world workforce. There were five of us in my Odessa start group, Dror, Mike, Sinesi, myself, and someone else who doesn't matter. Dror and Mike were Cannucks. Ok, probably not that simple, Dror was of Hebrew descent, and Mike of Indian descent. But, don't get them wrong they were born and bread in the Canadian 'Uni' system. That leaves, Sinesi. Just happens to be he was an LSU grad also, and from somewhere in Baton Rouge. "Two Cannucks and two Coon-asses", great book, or at least a great starter for a derogatory joke.
Dror and Mike, both lived in the Haliburton prison with me. I think Sinesi did too, although we never saw him.
I'm thinking four days after I arrived, I decided to partake in a little activity. Nothing illegal, just a friendly basketball game with these Cannucks and a few of the other 'civilian' kids that lived in the Halliprison.
Let me preface this, I ran three miles in a road race in Shreveport and went out until 4AM that Saturday night before (5 days previous). Plus, right before I started playing, I ate a salty, salty, soup corn soup made from the Mam'Pauls mix I picked up at Rouse's before I left.
Was, no doubt, schooling and showboating on these Cannucks and kids at this game they call Basketball in the West Texas states. 8 foot goal. Dunking, back slams, alley-oops, were all being sa-served from Prejeant. I think we were up to about a 10 point lead, I felt a need to take a quick timeout. Whoa, that 3 miles in the port city must have taken a toll on me. As I was walking to the side of the basketball/tennis court I remember seeing a very close-up shot of an aluminum fence post.
Afterlife? Yes. I do remember a very vivid dream, people were all around me, yelling things like, 'that dude got knocked the f out', 'hurry up, hurry up', 'get him air', 'what was he doing before he went out'. Stuff like that.
Fuzzy. I remember paramedics putting me on a bed on the tennis/basketball court. It was comfortable. I remember for some god awful reason, looking out the back of the ambulance and thinking that the back door was not closed. I just had a feeling that I would roll out, and hit the cars following. Ow, that would suck.
Made it to the hospital. I remember a cat scan, lots and lots of questions, heart conditions, similar things that happened to other basketball players, etc. Len Bias?
Hospital for at least 3-4 days for observations and tests. Strobe lights, hearing test, neurologists, heart doctors, etc. They all came and went.
You know who was always there though? The new Cannucks that I had met only a few days earlier. Dror and Mike. Especially Dror, the dude who I barely knew, and definitely who had no idea what a Cajun was about, was always there. Bringing me Jay Leno books, offering kind words, and good humor. Why?
I was fine. Just looks to be a weird combination of being dehydrated, and hitting my head on the fence post after I passed out caused the seizure.
I turned out to start work again the next week. I finished field engineering class at Halliburton three months later. I worked for Halliburton for 6 months later.
Did I ever thinking about just quiting and going home after I got out of the hospital? Nope. Not as long as I knew I was working with people like Dror and Mike. Especially Dror, just wanted to officially thank you for being there for a stupid-ass Cajun who thought he was in the NBA. Mostly, thank you friend, for being there when I needed a friend the most.
