A Small Town in West Texas You’ve Never Heard Of
After spending three weeks unpacking 21-years worth of household accumulation, I decided it was time to make a trip into Wimberley, known as “a little bit of heaven.” I needed to pick-up some brochures and learn more about this tourist area where my husband I were starting a new life and a second career developing a bed and breakfast.
I walked into the Wimberley Visitor Center feeling rather sheepish. After all, here I was, “another person from the big city” coming into someone else’s idyllic small town. I confessed my guilt to the friendly volunteer, who introduced himself as John. He replied. “Aww most of us aren’t from here. A few years ago I moved here from Dallas, and before that, I was from a small town in West Texas.”
“Where in West Texas?” I asked.
“You’ve never heard of it.” John assured me.
“Try me.” I countered.
“Plainview.”
“I grew up in Plainview!” I exclaimed.
“No!”
“Really!” I countered.
We went through the typical small town conversation of my dad worked at… I went to school with… Though we weren’t finding any common connection, which is quite rare for me. I have four older siblings and a younger brother and there is typically a sibling the same age.
Then John asked, “Did you live on Lexington Street?”
“No, I grew up on Dallas… Oh, wait; when we first moved to Plainview, we did live on Lexington Street. I was four years old.”
“I threw your newspaper. You gotta a sister named Katrinka?” John asked.
“Yes.”
“She was my best friend’s girlfriend. His dad owned the small neighborhood grocery store on 10th Street. I just knew one of these days someone was going to come walking through the door from Plainview!”
“Well, today’s the day.” I said rather proudly forgetting I was the outsider in a new town.
Since the day I first met John Kimbrew, I witnessed his cheerful smile and enthusiasm on many occasions. On Monday, July 31, 2023, John left this earth in a tragic auto accident on the highway just past our bed and breakfast.
John, you left “a little bit of heaven” for the real place and now I imagine you as a cheerful volunteer at heaven’s gate. Oh what conversations you must be enjoying!
