Hey, are any of my friends from Texas reading this?
We’re leaving Lake Havasu before 5:00 tomorrow morning, driving to Las Vegas, then boarding a plane, changing in Albuquerque and winding up in Houston Hobby at 4:30 in the afternoon. Today, I’ve been straightening things around this cluttered motor home, repacking my luggage, watching Jerry deal with his and tucking my speaking notes safely into my computer case. A few minutes ago I sat down to take a short break, and one of the first news items I saw was this startling story: A waitress in TEXAS receives a horse for a tip!
A horse?
“Galloping gratuities,” someone said.
Are they all over the place in Texas handing out horses? Will Jerry and I come home mounted on beautiful steeds, instead of flapping our wings on Southwest? Rather doubt it! Anyway, I thought you needed to hear this delightful story.
By Allan Turner of the Houston Chronicle:
Maybe it was his eyes — deep liquid pools of the inkiest black. Maybe it was his size — towering over his Lilliputian handlers with benign majesty. Maybe it was his breath — voluminous clouds of exhalation sweetly redolent of hay.
Whatever it was, Mailman Express had plenty of it. He was one hunk of horse, and A.D. Carrol loved him for it.
“He’s gorgeous,” Carrol, a diminutive 71-year-old Sugar Land woman, crooned into Mailman’s perked-up ear. Then, turning to her human companions, she added in an undertone, “I told him how beautiful he is. I think he remembers me.”
That was the touching scene Tuesday at the Houston Polo Club as Carrol, on her way to her waitress job at Ouisie’s Table, stopped by to say hello to the thoroughbred bay gelding she received as an eye-popping tip.
“All this started about a week and a half ago when I was waiting tables,” Carrol said. “There were two men drinking coffee and I had to ask them to move to make way for a larger group. One of the men just asked me if I wanted a horse. I said, ‘sure.’ Two days later he came back with the trainer’s phone number and Mailman was mine.”
A short video of the horse and the remainder of the article is here.
_______________________________________________________________________
My devotional blog is here.
Shirley Buxton 
7 replies on “Gallopping Gratuities”
This makes a nice story, but I doubt it will have a happy ending. The horse has a lameness problem, the woman is 71 working two jobs and can’t afford to pay the board for the two horses she already has. A 5-year-old thoroughbred horse whose only training has been to race is not a suitable mount for a 71-year-old unless she’s a professional rider. This man unloaded a liability on her. The horse would otherwise be sent to the slaughterhouse (or his owner could retire him and take care of him). Instead, he’s been dumped on a person who could be hurt by the horse and certainly doesn’t need the burden of his care. I love horses and older ladies. I don’t love irresponsible race horse owners.
Anne, I am so sorry if someone set out to deliberately hurt a horse, much less an elderly person. Very sad.
LikeLike
Hey, oxen are great. How do you think the German immigrants made their way across Texas? Nice and slow, so you can enjoy the view. I am glad that you came during our one week of spring.
I just am not sure where I would stable my ox.
LikeLike
Hey, you Texas people. It’s Saturday, the weather and the conference have been beautiful.
Uh…? Oxen? Not sure if that will work out very well. Thanks for the offer, though.
LikeLike
OK, if you come here, and you do not want the horses, will you settle for some oxen? They are great for pulling carts! Enjoy your trip to our fair city. The weather has been nice of late.
LikeLike
Sounds like Houston. The waitress is from Waller I believe. It is quite a rural suburb of H-town. Enjoy your visit here. You’ll probably make it back to California on Southwest!
LikeLike
But Ronda, this happened in Houston. I’m so afraid I’m going to come home with a horse, I’m thinking of looking around here for a saddle. 🙂
LikeLike
Amazing Story. However, I doubt if you and hubby will come back galloping on a horse. 🙂 However, if you were going to West Texas it might be different. 🙂
Have Fun!
LikeLike