This week-end Greg and I ambushed our friends Karl and Terri in Petal, Mississippi as a belated birthday surprise. Our stealthy plan of action was coordinated by Terri. She had been bursting at the seams for weeks trying to keep this secret, and those text updates barely contained her excitement.
We, along with our friends Mark & Brianna and Mike & Amy from Florida, drove through the night and arrived at their garage door at 12:30 a.m. on Thursday evening. Karl had gone to bed at 11 so the plan was to bust into his bedroom and scream SURPRISE! with the camera rolling. But the dogs gave us away, which actually is probably a really good thing considering he sleeps in the nude. No one needs to see that... He awoke, dressed in his robe (thankfully), and peered out the window yelling Who's out there? Who's out there? in the most threatening voice he could muster. When we jumped out, it took a few seconds for him to realize he wasn't dreaming. But in true Karl fashion, he recovered quickly and before we knew it, 4 a.m. had rolled around and we were all drunk and exhausted. Everyone, except Karl, who was ready to kick-start a poker game.
It's been a great week-end filled with lots of drink and bbq. Karl has totally and completely embraced the whole Deep Southern living where bbq and grilling are concerned. He has a huge smoker and is working on perfecting his technique and recipes. This is an undertaking he takes very seriously. Almost as seriously as the cowboy boots he bought when he first moved to Austin from Essex. No telling what further transformation will bring.
He and Terri moved here about 2 years ago, and while they've been enjoying their jobs, the new house, the new pups, the grill, they still haven't found a niche of good friends. Its tough being a liberal in deep South, small town Mississippi without coming under constant fire as being a commie, a traitor, or a heathen. Terri has been suffering in oppression more so than Karl. He, at least, works in a department with culturally diverse professors who haven't been born and raised 'round these parts. Terri, on the other hand, works in an office and has had a hard time finding people who aren't ultra-conservative Christians and convinced that Obama is the anti-Christ (no, seriously. The anti-Christ! Said by more than one person! People she interacts with on a regular, daily basis). The poor thing even personally and deeply insulted one lady in the office when Terri said she wasn't going to take Karl's last name after their marriage. Terri might as well have told her she worshiped Satan and was going to burn down all 23 Baptist churches along the road on her drive home tonight. How do you deal with mentalities like that?
Karl also gets pissed off on her behalf. When they're together, new acquaintances shake Karl's hand. They make introductions, look him in the eye, crack some jokes. But Terri, she might as well not exist at all. She can be standing RIGHT THERE, and she's completely overlooked as part of the scenery or a mere extra appendage, something you briefly note but don't acknowledge. Karl actually has to stop conversations, turn to his wife and introduce her as a living, breathing being capable of human interaction. Its so damn frustrating.
I know. I'm from Texas too. Even in Austin, I've experienced that recently.
Wait a minute... How did I get on this tirade?
Anyway, this week-end serves as a much needed reprieve for many of us, I'm sure. I'm just sorry we have to leave already tomorrow.
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