When you think of "Texas"…

What do you envision?

    

I had to laugh today.  It wasn't new, I've pretty much heard it my whole life, but when I told someone out of state online that I write stories set in small southern towns, usually Texas…. the response was a familiar one.

"Oh I love Texas stories, love the cowboy flavor."

Ummmmm…no. 

I've lived in Texas most of my 44 years (shhhh), and I can honestly say that any "cowboys" I might have seen dressed up on purpose to look that way.  My brother sometimes wears boots, but that's because regular shoes tend to hurt him.  We don't ride horses, rope cattle (is that what you do with cattle? I don't know) or wear guns.  Although with concealed weapon laws, I guess alot of people might, but they have them tucked in their pants like a gangsta, they aren't in holsters hanging on their hip like a Gunsmoke episode.   "Helloooo, Miss Kitty…"

I have never owned a horse or know anyone who has.  The only ranch I've ever been to was in Colorado (many ranches and cowboys there, by the way) and the only farm I've ever been to was in Iowa.

Not to say they aren't here.  I'm sure they have farms and ranches and…cattle… in places in Texas.  Just like they do in every other state.  I mean, I'm assuming cattle don't stop in their hoofy little tracks at the Mason Dixon line and put up a picket sign.

I will 'fess up to a brief stint in junior high (and I'm aging myself but I already gave that one up, so…) when I wore one of those fancy suede cowboy hats with the feathers hanging off the back… Right after the movie Urban Cowboy came out, for some goofy reason they were all the rage.  For about a year.  Then FlashDance came out, and we all switched to sparkly headbands and shirts that fell over one shoulder and legwarmers.

But I digress.  My point is that I have always found it funny how people outside the state perceive it.  But I guess I probably have preconceived notions about other states I've never been to.  I always thought of Colorado as perpetually snowy till I lived there for 4 years and was shocked by the constant sunshine and PERFECT weather.

What preconceived notions do you have about places?  Have there been any that totally shocked you?

 

Tagged: cowboys, perception, romance, sharla lovelace, southern towns, texas, the reason is you, womens fiction