Pine Curtain

So there we were driving south on 59, this late in the day four thirty-five o'clock and the sun has already started its dissent. My beloved and I looked at each other and on autopilot we reached for the other’s hand, knowing the challenge we were up against. Traveling down that highway surrounded by deep pine forests wondering if we would make it, we both sort of swallowed and said a silent prayer. I'd heard the stories he had heard the stories, but baby girl she knew nothing and that was a good thing; no need getting her nerves all tied up in a knot. I know we act like real Texans and we love this state and cannot imagine ever living anywhere else but the legend of the pine curtain, yes my dear internets that made us, at least me, nervous.

It had been a great, but long day the sun was casting its orange yellow glow on the back sides of hovering clouds. Why did the clouds always seem to hover in East Texas, that in itself was creepy? We were cruising at top speed, which would be the speed limit of 65. Now my Beloved is good about not speeding. I don’t know if y’all have been in the area of E. T. but there are lots of little towns including those that are not big enough to be on a map (no post office) and those that are, so the speed would go from 65 to 30 in zero flat. By the time we got to Diboll we had already seen 3 highway patrol so I knew I could not sweet talk my beloved into going even five over the limit, which I would never do because I have first, second and maybe even third experience with these E. T. patrolmen.

I kept watch out my window and saw the tall pines as they became painted black again the blood red sky. The clouds finally passed away and left me view enough of the doom that pressed in against us. Baby girl called out, “ I see the moon.” Crap, I looked and could not see it, already the E. T. affliction was coming upon her and maybe me. I asked her “Where, where?” and Beloved reminded her to think of the sky as a clock face and at what time was the moon sitting. One o’clock she said just as we rounded the big 59 curve in Livingston. I craned my neck to see, face pressed hard against the window, but alas I could see no moon. But it was clear and bright enough to light up the swamp fields, its crazy light glistened its image on the dark waters. I could even make out ghostly shapes from the hanging moss of the lifeless trees that had long ago lost hope of living. They cast shadows upon the black mirrored surface. Then suddenly relief started to set in because we were past the half way point. I began to feel that we could, that we would actually make it before time ran out.

The next hurdle lay before us as the wan of daylight receding from the east into the west ahead had become gray and towards the west there still laid a line of red orange. It was beautiful as it sat behind the trestle train bridge that spanned the river. I was temporarily lulled into it, I wanted to stop and photograph it, the beauty was magical. Beloved reached and stroked my arm then when I looked away from the view to gaze at him the spell was broken. Stop, what are you crazy we were on the home stretch holy french fries I could almost feel our hotel beds already.

The red setting sun and the bright translucent moon shone on the highway that split the pine forest in two before us. We flew through Cold Spring and neared Cleveland the door way of the safety zone. Ally, ally outs and free we had made it.

So no fears my dear, most dearest internets I will not be saying to y’all…
Purdy laydees aunt sum asscream, any time soon, I’ll leave that to the true E. T. folks; who I might add I love, as some of my family live there and because my contact with them is just enough to keep them from being totally sucked into and behind the Pine Curtain.

So what kind of legends do y’all have in your area?


Edit to link to prior purdy post