Gary's Bio
Gary Stallard spent a career as a U.S. Marine before completing his bachelor's degree at Stephen F. Austin University, where he majored in English and Journalism. For nine years, he worked as a sports writer/columnist/photographer for the Lufkin Daily News, for whom he continues to contribute free-lance articles. Stallard has won several awards for writing, including the Golden Hoops Award for basketball writing in 2003, Regional Sports Writer of the Year in 2004, and the Texas Press Association's first-place award for column writing in 2007. He has also done basketball, football and baseball radio and web stream play-by-play and color commentary for an ESPN affiliate. He currently works at Angelina College as the Coordinator of Marketing and Development, Sports Information Director and writing instructor.
Prior to arriving at Angelina College, Stallard taught English at Lufkin High School for four years.
He and his wife Susan live in Lufkin.
Three Former Angelina College Players Serving on Major League Rosters
Clay Buchholz
A Few Twists in the Road to the Show
AC News Service
When Cleveland Indians pitcher Josh Tomlin got his call-up to the big show a couple of weeks ago, that marked three former Angelina College pitchers currently serving on major league baseball rosters. Tomlin, Clay Buchholz of the Boston Red Sox and Andrew Cashner of the Chicago Cubs each had his nascent baseball career rooted in AC's old Roadrunner Field.
That three players from the same junior college are simultaneously living the big-league dream would be story enough.
The twists in the road they travelled to get there make an even better story.
When Buchholz first arrived at AC, he walked into head coach Jeff Livin's office and stated he wanted to be the team's starting shortstop. Buchholz transferred to AC from McNeese University, where he learned what most junior college players learn: Cracking the lineup as a freshman at the university level was highly unlikely, and Buchholz realized if he wanted playing time, he'd have to spend the next couple of years somewhere else. In fact, the Cowboys had him slotted as an outfielder, and idea to which Buchholz didn't particularly take with great enthusiasm.
Making the move to AC, Buchholz hardly had time to unpack his bags before letting Livin in on his plans to take a spot in the infield.
Just one problem. The Roadrunners already had a shortstop, and a pretty darned good one at that.
Livin recalls their first meeting, in which the future Red Sox star auditioned for a starting role.
"Clay walked into my office and told me he wanted to be our next shortstop," Livin recalls. "I remember looking Clay in the eye and telling him, 'We've already got one, and you're going to have a hard time beating this guy out of his position. He's the best shortstop I've ever had.' Clay said, 'We'll see.' I told him our shortstop also pitches, so Clay would certainly get some opportunities.
"Clay signs with us, and about three days into practice he came to see me again. He said, 'Man, that guy's good. Where else can I play?'"
That shortstop was Tomlin, who'd embedded himself in the starting lineup and didn't show signs of relinquishing his place.
Buchholz agreed to move to the outfield, but as a result encountered chances to work on the mound. That's when, according to Livin, "We were able to make the mechanical changes that really helped him take off as a pitcher and get where he is now."
"Where he is" is as a member of the Sox' starting rotation. Currently Buchholz sports a record of 12-5 with an ERA of 2.66 after Thursday's win over the Yankees - not to mention his no-no thrown against the Orioles back in 2007, a feat accomplished in just his second major-league start.
And Tomlin?
"Josh, in all honesty, didn't get the chance to show his abilities as a pitcher just because he was so valuable to us as a shortstop," Livin says. "We had arms coming out our ears that season, with Buchholz, Matt Paradoski and Aaron Odom. Tomlin might have been our No. 4 on that staff, but we needed him too much in the infield.
"So basically, Josh kept Clay from becoming the shortstop he always thought he could be," Livin laughs. "That in turn kind of saved Josh's arm and allowed him to become the pitcher he turned out to be. The irony is that both players got to the big leagues doing what neither of them thought they'd be doing at Angelina College."
As if arriving to the show itself wasn't enough pressure, Tomlin's first start held a rather daunting element: He'd face the Yankees, with Alex Rodriguez still looking for his 6ooth homer. What better chance than against a virtually unheard-of rookie likely still blinded by the bright lights?
No. 600 didn't happen that night. The unflappable Tomlin rode a shutout into the eighth inning in Cleveland's 4-1 win. Rodriguez finished a frustrating 0-for-4 and would spend another two weeks chasing his personal milestone.
Livin says he got several text messages from Tomlin the day before the start.
"No, we didn't mention Mr. 600 at all," Livin says. "Josh had plenty of other stuff on his mind without discussing that, but you know he knew about it."
Then there's Cashner, the Conroe native selected by the Cubs as the 19th overall pick in the 2008 draft who's currently serving as a setup guy for Lou Piniella's bullpen staff. After spending two seasons as a starter for Livin's Roadrunners, Cashner moved on to TCU, where he became a closer - a move that virtually guaranteed his 90-plus mph fastball would get some big-league attention.
However, when Cashner first donned the AC blue and orange, he wasn't as much a pitcher as a gas dispenser. He won nine games his sophomore season, yet Livin says Cashner's real progression didn't materialize until he took over the Horned Frogs' closer duties.
"Cash was always in the low- to mid-90s on the gun here, and I think as a starter he was of the mindset of pacing himself over a number of innings," Livin explains. "But when he became a closer at TCU, I think he put the icing on the cake. As I understand it, the news he was moving to the bullpen wasn't met with a whole lot of joy in the Cashner camp, but in the long haul it proved to be a huge move for him. Instead of worrying about six or seven innings, he can focus on one or two batters at a time, and he can really cut loose with that fast ball.
"He learned a lot more about aggression as a closer."
At AC, Cashner mainly possessed one pitch - albeit a good one. Not everyone at the junior college level spikes the Jugs gun on a consistent basis the way Cashner did. However, Livin constantly advised him to learn another pitch; that hitters even at the JUCO level could hit a straight fast ball.
Cashner learned it, but not exactly from his pitching coach, according to Livin.
"Andrew didn't really learn a new pitch until late in his sophomore season," Livin says. "Before that, he had an OK curve ball that on some days was good and on others wasn't. Cash came to me and said, 'Coach, I think I've got a new slider.' Another player had shown him a grip while they were long-tossing in the outfield before a game.
"We went in for a bullpen session, and the first time Cash threw his new slider it went over the backstop. I was like, 'I don't know about this.' Cash said to hang on and threw a few more. Those next few pitches just flat disappeared, and I told him, 'Hey, we need to stick with that.' It was just one of those 'Hey, look at this' moments. He only had one start after that, in the regional tournament, and he carved up some hitters using that pitch.
"I just wonder why someone didn't show him that grip way before that," Livin laughs.
Livin admits that in hindsight, there were clues this particular trio might be heading for bigger and better things; it's just that at the junior college level, full potential takes a little longer to materialize, and versatility combined with team needs often override specific individual talents.
"Clay was pretty obvious," Livin says. "When he got healthy and started pitching on a regular basis, it was one of the most jaw-dropping things I've ever seen.
"Cashner, you knew the tools were there. He came to us so raw; he'd grown six inches the year before, and nobody really knew much about him. It was just a matter of watching him grow into a pitcher rather than a thrower.
"Tomlin, we didn't know what he could do. He's just a wonderful guy with an amazing joy for the game. When he left here he was heading to Texas Tech, and he was going to do the same thing there he was doing here: Shortstop and sometimes pitcher. When he got there, they already had a shortstop, and they plugged him in as a pitcher only.
"We get so many guys like that here," Livin says. "You can see the potential. It's just a matter of how quickly and how well they develop."
Adventures in House-Cleaning, Male Style
By: Gary Stallard
Last week, I spent several hours attempting to do something nice for my wife.
I tried to do a little house cleaning.
I had a day off, but my lady had to work. I thought I´d earn some big hubby points by knocking out some of the chores I knew she´d try to do when she got home. You know, the basics: Vacuuming, loading the dishwasher, tossing in a couple of loads of laundry. Simple stuff, right?
Ri-i-i-ght.
I failed to take into account my utter lack of competence in all things housework-related. I survived years as a bachelor, never comprehending how different my version of “clean”would be to a woman. Making the bed made no sense to me, since I planned to crawl right back in it that night. I didn´t need post-it notes; I just wrote notes to myself in the layers of dust on the furniture. I kept my laundry in three separate piles: Dirty, Really Dirty, and Too Funky to Wear. And hey, I always thought those stains on the walls looked like some form of abstract art. Sort of a Picasso in his Slob Period.
After an hour, I began hoping it would be like my college Algebra class. I never got a right answer, but I got credit for showing my work. Only way I passed.
Started by vacuuming the house. Here´s a question: Why do women use those dinky little vacuum cleaners for housework? It´s cute, but for this day I busted out the ol´ Shop Vac from the garage. Ten gallon, five ragin´ horsepower. Gave my best Tim Allen “Ahh, ahh, ahh”pig noise. Sucked the dust out of the house in no time flat.
Of course, now I can´t find any of our rugs, our blankets or pillows, or the dog and cat.
But by golly, that floor was SPARKLIN´.
Note to self: Stop sucking the cat´s tail up the vacuum. That noise she made nearly made me wet myself.
Washed the dishes. Rather, I piled them into the dishwasher. I can´t figure out how she manages that whole jigsaw-puzzle routine, stacking everything all nice and neat. I jam those suckers in as high as they´ll fit.
Moments later, the dishwasher was throwing knives at me across the kitchen. Guess maybe she´s onto something.
Saved the pots for washing by hand. Had a sneaky motive for this one: The last time she walked in and caught me with my hands in the sink, she got all excited. Matthew McConaughey in a Speedo couldn´t have gotten her that fired up.
And to think: All that time tracking down wine and roses for her. All that money I´ve spent on Axe body sprays and colognes? Coulda saved it all and spent a buck fifty on a bottle of Palmolive dishwashing soap.
Jammed a full load of laundry into washing machine. No time to sort it all out, the way she always does.
Hey, wait a minute. Washing machines aren´t supposed to buck, are they? I stayed on for the full eight seconds, but I don´t think the judges are going to award me any points for the ride - especially when they see the mess in the laundry room.
It took me a total of three and a half hours to do what she knocks out in about 30 minutes. Now I´m thinking maybe she does one of those Samantha Stevens “Bewitched”thingys with her nose. You know, the “beekle, beekle, beekle”and suddenly everything´s clean?
Still, I was proud of my efforts. Thought, “I´m gonna stand at the door and wag my tail like a dog gone potty in the right place when she comes in and sees what I´ve done. I just KNOW I´m gonna score points with this.”
Then it hit me. She does this kind of stuff every…single…day. Not once has she waited for me at the door, waiting on some sort of gold star on her report card. She does it, and never says a word.
I tucked my tail - and my new perspective - between my legs, and waited for her to come home. If she notices, great. If not, that´s okay, too.
But I make myself a promise to notice all these things she does from now on.
It´ll be a lot easier than riding a washing machine.
Goodbye to a Decade Made for Sports Fans
By: Gary Stallard
It´s time to bid farewell to the “Aughts.”
You know, as in “Aught eight”, or “Aught nine.” The years preceded by zeros on our calendar.
And what a decade it was for sports fans. To think that just 10 short years ago, I huddled in my Y2K bunker awaiting the end of the world with the rest of the paranoids. (Not true. I celebrated too much that New Year´s Eve and completely forgot I was supposed to awaken to the end times.)
With the advent of such high-tech treats as wireless internet, smart phones and high-def TVs, we sports nuts couldn´t help but think the 2000s arrived just in time - and solely - for us.
Consider: When the calendar turned in 2000, I was still watching sports on my 15-year old, 32-inch Sony TV with a picture that, on a good day, allowed me to read players´ numbers. Tonight, I´ll settle in front of my 52-inch flat screen with the wondrous high definition picture sharp enough to allow me to count sweat beads, if I´m so inclined. (I won´t be.) In those days, if I wanted to record a game I´d miss, I had to buy a blank VHS tape and hope I programmed the fickle machine correctly. Now, I´m a DVRin´ dude.
Those televisions have also been a big reason for the explosion experienced by the gaming industry. Anybody remember Atari baseball? Little dots on the screen representing players, and a joystick that really was nothing but a stick? Now we´ve got graphics good enough to fool passersby into thinking they´re viewing a real game.
And how about the internet? Back then, I had internet service, but it was dial-up and took forever to download any sort of sports update. Forget trying to view photos, unless I had a few days off. Today, not only do we fans have high-speed ‘net - also available in wireless form - but we also have internet access on our phones. On our telephones! Hallelujah and pass the ESPN! Raise your hands if you´ve sat in meetings or other important gatherings, getting scores and updates on your phone when you were supposed to be paying attention to something else. (My hand is up.) In 2000, “4G” would have represented how much money former NBA ref and high-stakes gambler Donaghy dropped on an NBA game he was calling.
The advent of those smart phones is also a big reason fantasy team ownership has multiplied exponentially. By 2007, an estimated 15 billion - of which I am NOT one - fans participated in some form or fashion. A sports fan´s dream: Owning a team without paying the high salaries or dealing with all the whining.
Did someone say whining? In the ‘90s, we had to read about a petulant star´s unhappiness in the newspapers or on TV sportscasts. Now we can log on to Twitter and read every single, mundane thought - however relevant or irrelevant it may be. (I really don´t want to know what Ochocinco is doing right now. I have a life of my own.) When I grow up, I want to think my little world is that vital to man´s existence. I can´t wait to become a Twit.
If you don´t Tweet, you can always find a blog. Seems that blogs are now like bellybuttons; everyone´s got one, so what´s the big deal? Can we really come up with something different to say regarding steroids and baseball?
Gone now are the plain ol´, everyday paper posters of our favorite stars, replaced by the aptly named “Fatheads.” In addition, in this past decade we learned that because of free agency, it´s okay to have one player´s name and number on three different replica jerseys. Thus, we discovered who the team fans are, and who simply follows a single player. Personally, I´m still wearing my old Bears´ throwback with the number “20”. It´s either Bob Nowaskey´s from the 1940 Bears, or Mark Carrie from the 1996 bunch. Who cares? I just like the jersey.
A full decade designed just for sports fans. Who´d a ever thunk it?
So goodbye, Aught-1 through Aught-9. Thanks for everything. And welcome, 2010s. You Aught to be even better than your predecessor.
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Pack Gets Boost from Underclassmen in 17-14 Squeaker over John Tyler
 Photo By: Ian Nichols
Football Season
By: Mon., Aug. 31, 2010
Lufkin Panther sophomore kicker Luis Garcia came so close on his very first varsity field-goal attempt, the ball practically scraped paint off the upright on its way to a 34-yard, just-wide-right miss.
That came at the end of the Pack offense's first drive of the second half.
On the Panthers' very last drive of the game, however, Garcia got another shot - from 12 yards closer, but from a bad angle on the right hash mark and with the game's outcome riding on his foot.
No problem. The youngster nailed a 22-yard kick with just :03 showing on the game clock to lift Lufkin to a thrilling 17-14 win over John Tyler's Lions Friday night at Tyler Mother Francis Rose Stadium in Tyler in the season opener for each team.
"I knew after he missed that first one, if we got the opportunity, I was going to send him back out there," Lufkin head coach John Outlaw said afterward. "He's got a little grit in his craw, and he's got a chance to be a really good kicker for Lufkin."
Garcia's kick proved the game winner, but another sophomore helped put the Panthers in position for nail-gnawing win after a pair of lightning-quick, third-quarter scores from the Lions.
Lufkin led 7-0 at the half on Jamarcus Walker's (18 carries, 115 yards) one-foot plunge with 4:05 remaining in the first quarter.
But the Lions roared out to their first lead of the game with a pair of touchdowns in a 20-second span: JT's Damarcus Humber scored on a four-yard run to cap a long drive; and on the Pack's first play from scrimmage following the kickoff, the Lions' Triston Wade scooped up a stripped ball and returned the fumble 22 yards for the score.
With the Pack suddenly playing from behind, it fell to another sophomore to come up with a big play. Lufkin receiver Gunnar Quick scored on a 51-yard catch-and-run touchdown with 10:45 remaining in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 14-14. On the play, Lufkin quarterback Deauntre "Bush" Smiley - harassed all night by the Lions' outstanding defensive front - was again under pressure, with at least a pair of defenders draped across his pads. Quick continued his route, finding an opening in the seam in time for Smiley to get him the ball; from there, Quick (four catches, 71 yards) raced into the end zone, getting a last-minute block from teammate Chris Bean to clear the way.
Lufkin's defensive unit, which held the Lions to less than 200 total yards for the game, held again late in the fourth. Panther linebacker Tyler Wright, who made several big plays on the night, made yet another around the three-minute mark to force the Lions into a punting situation, setting up the Panther offense with 70 yards to move and a little over two minutes to do it.
That's when the senior leadership kicked into gear. Smiley, who finished with 47 yards on the ground and another 209 on 18-of-22 passing, converted a third-and-six play with a seven-yard scramble with 1:52 to play. And on third-and-eight with 1:04 remaining, Javonte Mack (seven receptions for 71 yards) dove to the turf for the catch, giving the Pack another set of downs. Mack added another big grab on the drive, taking a crossing route from Smiley down to the JT 15-yard line with 30 seconds and counting. Following a nine-yard run from Jamarcus Walker (18 carries, 115 yards), Lufkin called a quick timeout with just seven seconds to play.
Out trotted Garcia, who calmly nailed the game winner before receiving a walk-off ride from holder Nick Cox.
"It's a great way to start the football season," Outlaw said. "The most important thing is I found out a lot about the character of this team. When you fall behind at home, it's a lot easier to come back. You fall behind on the road, and you get in that situation where you really find out about your team's character, and our guys did a great job under pressure."
"Both teams had a lot of young guys out there, and they all played hard," Outlaw said. "It's unfortunate someone has to lose in a game like that. We both have a chance to have good football teams; it's just we made the plays in the fourth quarter we needed to make to win a game."
Lufkin will host its home opener Friday night at Abe Martin, taking on Tyler Lee. The Red Raiders fell hard to Euless Trinity on Saturday in a game televised by ESPNU.
Game time at Abe Martin is 7:30 p.m.
High Expectations, As Usual
Pack Football Hoping for Big 2010 Season
By: Gary Stallard
Ask a Lufkin Panther fan just why the Pack football program seems to generate more than its share of high expectations every season, and you might just hear some of these numbers in his or her reply:
In this decade alone, the Pack has compiled a record of 108-23. Included in those nine seasons are one state championship, three appearances in the state semifinals and consistent rankings among the state’s best. Heading into 2010, the Panthers are Dave Campbell’s Texas Football’s 14th-ranked team and 5A Texas High School Football’s No. 9 team. Toss in a bevy of district titles, sprinkle the conversation with such names as Dez Bryant, Jamarcus McFarland and Reggie McNeal, and the person asking the question should walk away sufficiently informed.
Such is life in Packville, where Abe Martin Stadium stays packed to the brim on Friday night home games and swarms of Purple People hit the highways en route to visit opponents around the state.
This season’s expectations may be a little higher than usual. First, there’s the bad taste left over from having the District 14-5A crown wrested away by The Woodlands in 2009 - in Lufkin’s 31-21 loss at the beloved Abe, no less. Having cornered the market on titles since moving into the Houston district - Lufkin had won five straight prior to 2009 - the Panthers had to feel more than a little disoriented in seeing another team hoist the trophy. In the minds of Panther Nation, district titles are expected to keep that purple-and-gold tint; any other color just doesn’t look right. It’s bad feng shui, and it needs re-doing in a hurry.
The Panthers believe they have just the right team to restore the crown in 2010, with a mix of returning starters and talented newcomers ready to get the stadium rocking as soon as possible.
Some of the key players for Lufkin are as follows:
Offense - Start with QB Deauntre Smiley (6’2”, 205) who as a junior threw for 1,583 yards and 17 TDS and ran for another 926 yards and 18 scores. The big lefty is drawing plenty of attention for DI schools for his complete package of athleticism, intelligence and accuracy (he threw just six interceptions in 223 passing attempts). Add to the mix District Newcomer of the Year Jamarcus Walker, who as a sophomore running back ran for 749 yards and 10 TDs in John Outlaw’s pass-happy spread offense. Catching the tosses from Smiley will be WRs Javante Mack, Darrian Shephard, Roger Givens, Chris Bean and Gunnar Quick. Holding things together up front will be returning linemen Shakobie McCoy, Kalandus Hunt and Connor Groom, along with newer guys moving to the varsity for the first time.
As usual, the Panthers will feature a high-powered offense perhaps even better than the group that averaged more than 30 points per game in 2009.
Defense - The Pack “D” allowed an average of just over 17 points per game in 2009, and figure to do even better than that this season. The defensive line, featuring All-District selections DE Darrell Thomas-Kelly, DE Jackson Randle and DT Blade Wise-Perry should put a stop to just about any rushing attack; and safeties Travoskey Garrett and Xavier Walker will provide plenty of protection downfield. The linebacking corps consisting of Tommie Mark, Monty Williams and Jaclarence Rainey are extremely quick and hard-hitting; and DBs Glenn Hunt, Devin Hightower and Jamarcus Anders should ensure that opponents struggle to top the 100-yard passing mark in any game.
Special teams - Clay Smithhart and Luis Garcia return to handle the kicking chores for the Pack, and the coaching staff will have a stable filled with speedy kick- and punt-return men from which to choose.
2010 schedule: Two new teams move into the 14-5A neighborhood in 2010: the Atascocita Eagles (10-2, Area Round in 2009) and the Kingwood Mustangs (6-6, Area finalists). They’ll join Lufkin, Conroe’s Tigers (5-6, Bi-District finalists), the Oak Ridge War Eagles (5-6, Bi-District finalists), The Woodlands Highlanders (11-1, Area finalists) and the College Park Cavaliers (4-6) in what should prove to be a highly competitive district.
The pre-district portion of Lufkin’s schedule will feature some old East Texas foes, including Longview’s Lobos (14-2, Div. I finalists); the Tyler Lee Red Raiders (6-6, Area finalists); the John Tyler Lions (12-2, District II 4-A Regional finalists); and the Nacogdoches Dragons (3-7).
Following is the complete Lufkin schedule for 2010 (all games are on Fridays at 7:30 p.m.):
They Still Love Green Eggs and Ham
 Don Lymbery, resplendent in a Seuss-like tie and Zoo cap, reads Dr. Seuss’ “If I Ran the Zoo”
Photo by: Gary Stallard
PCA Students, Staff Celebrate Dr. Seuss
By: Gary Stallard
Wed., March 24, 2010
When it comes to eating green eggs and ham, the kids at Pineywoods Community Academy tend to lean a little more toward Sam-I-Am’s point of view.
In fact, they DO like green eggs and ham.
The charter school recently celebrated the birthday of Theodor Seuss Giesel - the beloved Dr. Seuss - by feasting on the strange-colored meal and listening to special guests reading their favorite books aloud. Karen Hutto and the cafeteria staff cooked up the eggs and ham, PCA teacher Reyna Smith wore a classic Cat-in-the-Hat on her head, and Jenny Garza decorated the stage with a replica of the house the sly feline visited in one of Seuss’ most memorable creations.
First-grade teacher Jamie Johnson said the school has held the celebration for four years, with the need for bigger space increasing as the tribute grew to much larger proportions.
“We celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday and all the things he’s done for us with his work, especially when it comes to helping children learn to read,” Johnson said. “We started off with people reading in the classrooms, and it’s grown to the point now where we need the auditorium, and we have guest readers participating every year. It’s funny, because the children can remember something the readers did or said from a year before, and our readers are always so honored to be a part of this.”
On this day, Mary Grider of the Kurth Library read “Green Eggs and Ham.” Don Lymbery donned a Sues-type tie and ZOO cap while reading “If I Ran the Zoo” - drawing giggles when he described the Fizza-ma-Wizza-ma-Dill - and Dr. Jerry Jenkins added his own touch to some of the characters Seuss left the world.
The kids listen, many of them reciting along with the readings, so embedded are the stories in their young minds. They don’t know - nor would they care - that Theo Giesel won an Academy Award for the documentary “Design for Death” about the Japanese culture during WWII; or that Dr. Seuss wrote most of his works in something called “anapestic tetrameter”; or that many of his books were considered allegories, including “Horton Hears a Who”, which was Seuss’ view on the American post-war occupation of Japan.
The kids don’t care. They love the rhymes, the goofy pictures and, of course, the names and never-to-be-forgotten creatures. Benjamin Bicklebaum. Sylvester McMonkey McBean. The Bippo-No-Bungus. The Foona-Lagoona Baboona.
Those names and words are, according to Johnson, the very reason Seuss’ works have left such an everlasting impact on young readers.
“For one thing, they’re very funny and entertaining, and kids love anything that’s funny. And anything that has to do with rhyming helps with their phonemic awareness and their abilities to sound out words, decode them and read through the book. Several of his words we use repeatedly, and it helps build the kids’ fluency and self-esteem while they’re reading.
“For a child, silly words are so much more fun to read.”
Minding My Business in Lufkin
By: Gary Stallard
Wed., Jan. 13, 2010, 3:00 pm CST
There´s a reason I prefer to do all my business right here in Lufkin.
Actually, there are lots of reasons, and they all have names and faces.
That´s the cool thing about living here. I don´t have business associates; I have friends with whom I do business. We don´t have meetings. We have receptions and reunions.
For example, when I walk into the Angelina County Teachers´ Credit Union, I have to allot at least an additional 15 minutes to do business. It´s not because they´re slow; far from it. It´s because I have to visit with Gayle and Phyllis, trading stories and pics of our grandkids. It´s part of our routine. Grandkids first, business later. I wouldn´t change it for anything.
These types of relationships make my business excursions more pleasurable experiences. If I take my truck to Wright Brothers for its usual oil change, I know I´ll be talking baseball with Jim Holton while waiting for my vehicle.
There are benefits to such relationships. During the holiday season, Greg, Gary and the gang at Diamond Photo went out of their way to help me put photos in my wife´s new locket I´d gotten her for Christmas. They didn´t have to do this. They did it because they cared.
Same for the folks at Tommy´s Watch Repair. I needed the locket engraved, and they managed to squeeze me in despite their incredibly hectic holiday schedules. When they were finished, they charged me less than half of what they´d quoted, just because they said it was a special gift.
I could go on and on. Doug Russell at East Texas Monuments gave me a great idea for making a patio table for my lady´s Christmas gift. The ladies at Kay Jewelers know my wife and me well enough now that when we enter the store, they already know why we´re there. They´re either really good at reading minds, or they just pay attention to their customers.
Back in the fall, I had to buy a new wireless card for my laptop. My buddy L.A. at the AT&T store knows I´m not real bright with some of this technical stuff, so he actually came to my house during his lunch break to help me set everything up. It took an hour. Ten minutes for L.A. to do his magic, and the rest of the time to sit on my back porch and catch up on life in general.
So many more people like this in Lufkin. Peggy Rains at the Lufkin Daily News, talking kids and advertising with me every time she calls. Ricky McNeal and Greg Little at Loving Toyota, knocking themselves out to help us with a new car. Chad and Lisa at Chili´s, seeing me come through the door and having my drink ready before I´ve even taken a seat. The ladies at China Garden who, when my favorite buffet entrée - General Tso´s chicken, if you´re keeping score - runs out, making sure I never have to wait for a refill. Jennifer at the Lufkin Mall, calling not for a business reason but just to see how I´m doing.
Sure, I could get the same products and services out of town - but with people like this greeting me, why in the world would I? The possibility of saving a few bucks isn´t near as appealing as seeing pictures of Michael (Phyllis´ grandson) or hearing how J.P. (Jim Holton´s son) is doing on the baseball field.
There are those who might say these people treat me so well just because we´re friends. I´d beg to differ.
We´re friends because they treat me so well.
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