The online Bible teaching ministry of Stephen & Brooksyne Weber

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I was raised in a family of seven so anytime we traveled we stayed overnight with relatives, not in a motel, except for one memorable hot summer after my two oldest siblings had left home.

Mom and Dad, my older sister Elaine, my younger brother Jody and I all piled into our green Comet bracing ourselves for a long trip from Tulsa all the way to Dallas. We brought along our stockpile of earnings (quarters, dimes, nickels and maybe a few dollar bills) that we had earned from washing the car or doing odd jobs for our folks or neighbors. And Mom brought food to eat along the way.

My dad had proudly installed an aftermarket air-conditioner (our first) for the trip so we were eager to travel in comfort, all windows rolled up which meant we girls would not have to comb out a tangled mess of long hair after our arrival. We were going to the famous “Six Flags Over Texas” theme park (still in its infancy stage in the 60’s). It was one exciting time for us; not only going to Six Flags, but this was the first time we’d be staying in a motel.*

When our folks told us this motel had a swimming pool we were beyond excited! Up to this time we’d only swam in muddy farm ponds, lakes and creeks. We children had a blast swimming for many hours and felt like rich kids. It even had lights so we swam in the dark but finally the pool closed, and we headed to our room, all five of us in one small mom and pop motel room.

After such a busy day we fell into a deep sleep but during the night a shrill scream awakened the whole family. Bracing for the worst we jumped out of bed to see what horrible thing was taking place. Did someone break in the door to attack us? But all we saw was that Mom was visibly upset and she insisted that we were all to get dressed and to pack up the suitcases immediately.  We had to spend the rest of that hot summer night in Dallas sleeping upright in the stifling, hot, cramped car. (So much for the air-conditioner in a car when we can’t run the engine!)

What was the big problem? Mom had gotten up in the middle of the night and turned on the bathroom light. Out of seemingly nowhere despicable roaches of all sizes and varying speeds zoomed back and forth on the bathroom floor. She had a conniption fit and declared in a voice that couldn’t be reasoned with, “We’re not taking suitcases back to Tulsa filled with roaches so they can breed and live in our house.”  No-sir-eee! We may have been poor but we weren’t dirty and, to Mom, roaches were equated with dirtiness!  (I wonder, all these years later, if Mom asked for a refund on our motel bill?)

Stephen & Brooksyne Weber