Texas Tech was a great time in my life.

     I took this picture while sitting on a bench at Texas Tech University. My daughter, Shelby had broken her ankle, so I was driving from Levelland over to Lubbock to pick her up. As I sat in the shade, I thought back to the time I was studying at Texas Tech.
     I walked all over the campus for over a year, before transferring over to Lubbock Christian University where I completed my degree.  I remember the long walks from out near the Dome all the way into the center of the campus. I remember the days when the weather was so hot that the sweat ran down my face. I remember other days when the rain poured and I tried to stay dry under a huge umbrella. I arrived at campus by seven am. Many days I had late night classes and did not see the sun come up or go down.
     I was such a cool dude carrying my briefcase. . . for a month. By the end of the month, I realized why the smart people did not carry briefcases. I refused to carry a backpack, so I used a bag that I could sling over one shoulder. I suppose I refused to use a backpack because as a young boy in junior high, I did carry a backpack, but back then, no one else really used a backpack. I bought mine at the Army/Navy Store at downtown  Fort Worth, Texas. I carried my school books in that pack. I carried my baseball gear in that pack. I also carried fossils that I dug out of the creeks near Seminary South. Back then, I rode my bike everywhere. I even remember that one road on the way over to Seminary South was gravel. The hill down to the creek was super steep. Going down the hill was fun, but going back up hill was a struggle. With a pack loaded with about thirty pounds of fossils, Mike and I had to push our bikes back up hill. From the top of the hill back to our houses was probably about five miles. I guess a backpack reminds me of those fun times.
     Texas Tech was a wonderful experience. I had waited twenty-seven years to go to a University. I enjoyed every day of my time at Texas Tech. I probably enjoyed my hours in the stacks at the Library. We  still had the card files back then. In fact, computers were just beginning to appear about the time I left. I even enjoyed sipping coffee at the Student Sub while waiting for my next classes. I drank lots of coffee while studying and observing the younger students. Time is like a blanket that covers us during the night. I will lose these memories of days filled with learning at Texas Tech. No one will ever know the joy that I experienced during my time at Texas Tech. It's a shame that such joys fade with time.