Tragedy struck the tiny town of West (comma) Texas. And a piece of my heart broke, as well.
Betty grew up in a tiny town next to the tiny town of West. As a child I would visit my grandparents who still lived there then and every time we would go to West for some reason or another. One of those reasons was to get some Nemecek Ring Bologna for me (and others, if they could wrestle me for it). The Nemecek Meat Co. was a family operation that serviced the area since the turn of the century. (the last century, not this one) They made ring bologna that was a specialty item made only by them. It was an acquired taste. And I acquired quite a taste for it. The best way to eat it was raw with Cheetos. (Okay, yes, I am white trash.) And speaking of white, if you fried it, the only way to eat it was on white bread with Miracle Whip and accompanied by aforementioned Cheetos. DEE-LICIOUS.
Sadly, the Nemecek Meat Co. closed a few years ago. But, luckily, another meat company bought the recipe for the bologna and it lives on and is sold only at the West Food Mart.
If you drive down I-35 to Austin from Dallas, countless people stop at the Czech Stop to pee and buy Kolaches. The Czech Stop is on the highway and very visible. Those of us that are "in-the-know" about West drive deeper into town and stop at Gerik's Bakery for our Kolaches and drive either further into town to buy our ring bologna at the West Food Mart.
I also drive on the other side of town to visit some very special in my life. My grandparents, my aunt and countless numbers of my ancestors are buried in the Bold Springs Cemetery. It is a beautiful little cemetery full of wonderful hard working people from this community. It will be the future home for my 80 year old daughter. A trip to West that I dread.
Betty would be proud of me for writing THIS post. (Some, I admit, she wouldn't be so proud of) She instilled in me the love of family history and community. Something that is strong and will remain strong in the tiny, sweet town of West (comma) Texas.
What would Betty say? "My heart is broken".
