Texas

As per tradition, I woke up at six, had a shower, and was on the road by seven. After about two hours of driving, we arrived at the border town of Texarkana, Arkansas, and Texarkana, Texas. This town is about the same size as Fort McMurray, and serves as the gateway into Texas for people traveling from the east. Imagine a town split in half, with one half appearing rather normal (Arkansas), and the other half being pro American almost to the point of obnoxiousness (Texas).

Truth be told, Texas has an alluring charm that can't be denied. When you see the roughneck, simple lifestyle, you don't want to join in, but it does feel rather relaxing. Yet as the day passed, the romantic image of Texas which had been built up so, quickly, began to fall like a house of cards. For you see, underneath the shiny veneer, lies an all too familiar attitude.



We're all familiar with the "Fort McMurray effect". You all know those stores and people who think that they're all that because they have money, and they think that money trumps all. Well I've learned something today, that isn't the "Fort McMurray effect", it is in in fact the "Oil effect". The people of Texas have the exact same attitude and have found a way to be even more obnoxious about it.

You know that Fort McMurray literally is at the end of the highway, so prices will be a little higher there, but in Texas it's even worse. Prices are fine, but the people are as arrogant as they can be. They know that they are in an oil boom, and that as long as the companies are importing workers like crazy, the service industry doesn't need to put in any effort in their work. Now in a normal business, businesses try to make their customers happy to earn their patronage. When an influx of workers disrupt the balance like this, services stop caring and take the easy buck.

We all know that this is the wrong thing, but as long as there is a demand for oil, we have to put up this garbage. In San Antonio, the hotels have no interest in serving the average person, and cater near exclusively for the oil worker.

Now it's not fair to paint all of Texas with this brush, as there are parts, like the southern city of McAllen where the people are full of pride and integrity. These people know how to work for others, and they do it with respect and dignity.

I'll be staying in McAllen for a few days, so I'll be reporting about the local food, which is very different from the typical fast-food we've been having.