Thinking about Larry

- A few of my books-

I was reading a book the other day, and one of the characters said, "I'll give you one piece of advice about the oil business, the one you're going to be running starting tomorrow, and that's return your phone calls. Don't put it off and don't skip any, even if you think the person you're supposed to call is an asshole or a flake."

That's a good rule of thumb in everyday life, too. I've had high-falutin' people drop the ball, like lawyers and realtors, and it's shameful. I won't do business with people who don't call back.

Larry McMurty wrote the above lines in his book Duane's Depressed, when Duane hands over his oil business to his son, Dickie.

I drove through McMurtry's home town of Archer City the other day, hoping to shop in his bookstore Booked Up. It's on the courthouse square, but was closed that day. From what I've read on the interweb, since his death it has been managed by his store partner, Khristal Collins.The website featured some of the same books I have (see photo, just a part of my collection), and that made me proud.

At a glance, the town looked like what Roby and Rotan might look like put together. I couldn't figure out where Sam the Lion's pool hall would have been, but I was just passing through and had to be on my way.