Since I was in Texas I had to go see the Alamo, it’d almost be sacrilegious not to. I wasn’t expecting much… knowing full well that the Alamo is very Texas in the sense it is the biggest practice of backwards logic I have ever encountered in a national monument. Admission was free, any more than that would been a crime. I was a bit confused by this but walked in anyway. It was a rather smallish fort, set up with all sort of archeological stuff and guns, lots and lots of guns and swords and other primitive weaponry.

I walked in and first saw an elaborate full scale model of the battle. It’s a little daunting to see how outnumbered those poor bastards were, even more so to know that they’re forever remembered for basically getting slaughtered. This wasn’t about a battle won, this was about… fuck, what was this about?

I admit I didn’t know much about the Alamo… but the more I read off their little signs the more I couldn’t help rolling my eyes. I guess Texans have been Texans since the very beginning. Apparently the fort was built as the living quarters to a handful of missionaries, who of course expected the local Indian population to spontaneously see the light and start worshipping the one and only true god. Not surprisingly the Indians got a bit pissy and a fort had to be built around the living quarters. Nothing got much better after that.

I walked around the courtyard and the barracks looking at things. This place had a number of kids and one father, bless his heart, who actually knew how to control his kids. I almost walked up to him and complimented him but I figured that might be a little awkward. There was a speaker telling people about the Alamo in an excitable Big Fish sort of manner. I soon found out why the admission was free… They charged for an audio tour, whose line started outside the building were the final siege took place, you know the one part of the fort everyone wants to go to. Lucky for me I couldn’t rouse enough interest to even want to bother. I kept my few dollars and wandered off.

If you are enjoying Catching Marbles please consider adding a dollar or two to my limited gas money fund so I can continue going on adventures and sharing them with you! Thank you!