The phrase “The Best of Times” carries multiple thoughts and meanings for me. It’s the title of one of my favorite movies where Jack Dundee (Robin Williams) helps revive his hometown by convincing his friend, Reno Hightower (Kurt Russell) to replay a football game from their senior year in school where Jack dropped the winning touchdown pass. The idea is that one event sent their town on a path of mediocrity.
That phrase also makes me think of my childhood here in Hooks, TX. It’s a shame that I had to get into my 40’s before realizing just how good things were around here as a kid. Not just Hooks, but how good things were just in general. I can remember my dad telling me stories about growing up here and I remember thinking “Geez, I’m glad that we’re not in the 50’s anymore. We have so many cool things here in the 80’s!” And here I am, writing about how great those times were.
But, I also believe that this phrase can be about today. It can describe what we can be and do in this town TODAY. It doesn’t take much to form an opinion about Hooks if you read Facebook for just a few minutes. It’s easy to sit back and take shot after shot at the roads, water bill situation, or abandoned homes. I’ve done it before.
