MEMORIES OF RAIN

Brazos River

HOUSTON...WHEN WE LIVED THERE!
by Richard Drake, guest writer

*****************************************

Recent weeks' news from the Houston area about

the heavy rains, brought back memories of a rain

storm when we first moved there.

One Saturday, my wife Marcia and I took my sister

Paula, to downtown Houston for lunch and some

shopping.

On the way home the skies just opened up with one

of the largest rains I had ever seen; even including

the time I spent in the Marshall Islands in the Pacific!

A tropical depression had formed quickly off the Gulf

of Mexico coast, south of Houston, and had sped 

rapidly inland. As we approached the intersection of

Highway 59 and Interstate 610, the rain became so

heavy that I was looking to pull off the highway and 

wait out the storm. I wanted to get through the

intersection before stopping.

As we reached the low point of the intersection, the 

water was rushing right into the area where we were.

I was sure that we could make it through the fast-

rising water---until the Honda in front of us flooded out.

We were in the middle lane with cars stalled in front

of us, blocking all lanes...leaving no room to pass the

car in front. Fortunately I was able to keep our engine 

running.

Water started coming into the car around the edge of 

the door. Paula was sitting in the back seat and had 

an ice glass she had just finished. As fast as she could 

she was "bailing out" the incoming water from the floor

of the back seat---and pouring it out the window.

But Mother Nature was winning!

As the water level reached the outside window level,

we began debating whether or not to leave the car,  

go into the water and "swim for it!"

Just in time a big pickup with welding gear in the back,

passed everyone on the break-down lane. His truck

created a big wave which floated the Honda and turned 

it sideways. It gave us just enough room to be able to

pass.

So away we went laughing hysterically. Our car was new

and we had to put it in the shop to change out all the

insulation and carpets.

Earlier that year Houston had received another big rain.

Alvin, Texas, just south of Houston, received a rain which

was estimated to be one of the once-in-every-five-

hundred- year variety.

At the rime, I was managing the Houston bus system. We

lost over two hundred buses to the high water. The rain 

came during the peak hour and our entire fleet was on the

streets---full of people.

Houston does not have a storm-water storm-system and 

relies on the city streets to carry the rain to the bayous that

run through the city. As you would expect, cars flooded out

and blocked our buses. Water became so deep that the bus

engine compartments flooded. Water got into the engines

and transmissions.

We had to rebuild them all in a short time. The Authority did

not have the shop space or the mechanics to do a timely

job, but we did have money from the funding packages that

were intended to build new transportation facilities, including

a light rail system. The Board authorized the contracting part

of the repairs to outside sources.

This was the most stressful time in my life. It took the rest of 

the year to restore bus service to an acceptable level.

Funding at times had been scarce in earlier years, even 

before the flood damage. I had expressed my evaluation

of the situation to the Board and the press, at the time I was 

hired.

The day service was fully restored to normal after the flood 

damage to the buses, Marcia and I opened a bottle of wine,

sat down and evaluated the situation, and decided to resign

the next day.

I felt it was going to take three more years to turn the situation

around and put into place the type of transportation system

the city wanted and needed. I did not want to take the pressure

for that long.

The Houston press was very kind to me in their praise for my work.

Every time I hear of heavy rains in that area, I have a major 

flashback!

(Photo above was taken this spring, 2015, during the heavy rains

that covered Texas. Shown is Richard's backyard, farther north, 

with the BRAZOS River out of its banks.)

****************

FOR MIL'S PLACE

BY GUEST WRITER,

Richard Drake, BARD of CHS '53

July 21, 2015