By Georgia Osten
Sometimes I sit back and wonder what would have happened if I’d never left … What if I’d married one of those high school boys and stayed? We’d probably own a gas station or a restaurant … When I graduated, my Mom and Granny were ready to “Get Outta Dodge!” We moved to Houston, where Mom got a job at the Warwick down in the heart of Hermann Park. We got a huge apartment in Bellaire and I went to San Jac in Pasadena.

My first date was with the paperboy who went to U of H, we went to a football game, the most boring time of my life! Changes, changes, finally found myself away from Houston, moved to Florida, back to Texas, moved back to Houston, began having babies, moved to California, Louisiana and back to Texas.

It’s been a lovely ride! Retired and back to my beloved Crystal Beach. Ironic, to say the least.

It all began several years before Ike, I was out on the beach with my golden retriever, Ruby. Ran into a couple strolling the beach, we got to talking, and Port Arthur came up in the conversation. They began telling me about the most recent happenings. So it happened that my dear friend, Clifford Antone, had passed away. Now, really, how was I was supposed to find this out? This was before Facebook was The Thing!

Ever since then, it seems every time I looked up, I was running into an old classmate from PA. At the store, in the Post Office, on the beach …

We moved here permanently in 2011, and in 2012, I took a job with the Chamber. Another lady wanted to apply, so we decided to make it a “job share” situation. Well, who do you think my Job share buddy was? Sherry and I ran the Chamber for 6-7 years. We went to school together back in the 60’s.

Recently, the kids threw a surprise Birthday Party. Lo and behold, 5-6 of my high school friends came to the party! They beat me up about not attending our 50th reunion, and I said, “I see y’all all the time, why did I need to go to Port Arthur for a reunion?”

Love all these friends, old and new! Maybe I’ll come to our 60th or 70th reunion (if there is such a thing)??

GO’s Sand Bucket is only one beach bum’s journal of life at the beach, probably something each of you can relate to. Please feel free to email me with your thoughts, visions and/or feelings of just exactly what the beach means to you. Email: [email protected]