Pittsburgh and Tex

Part 8 In A Series

All my life I've come up with nicknames for people — mostly for those who I don't know their real names. For instance, there was the single mother living below me with her daughter and sister. The sister liked to entertain men but she isn't going to be the subject described here. The mother was Roseanne Barr-ish: short, heavy set, and loud mouth, with a rotten disposition to match. If you were casting for a female wrestler in a gritty made-for-tv movie, you'd need look no further. Taking a cue from a male professional wrestler during the 1960's, my downstairs neighbor was known as Mamma Bull Ramos.

There are a number of characters at my mother's assisted care facility. Today I will tell you about Pittsburgh and Tex. They aren't really main characters in this little story of mine, rather background extras that complete the scene.

Pittsburgh was one of the first residents I thought was going to be a friend to my Mom. He liked the swings in the courtyard, too, and would be sitting with Mom during her first weeks there. Then I didn't see him at all for a long time. He would sit by himself at dinner time and I wasn't seeing him there, either. I thought that he may have been moved to another place, was sick, or even died.

I spotted him the last time I was there, in a different place in the dining room but still alone. He looks at me like he recognizes me from my many visits but he doesn't speak and keeps to himself. Because he wears clothing for the NFL football's Steelers, I refer to him as Pittsburgh.

Tex is similar in demeanor. He keeps to himself. Tall, slender, salt and pepper mustache, and a baseball cap. There are two things that set him apart: he is The Slapper's main squeeze and he wears cowboys boots. Hence Tex.

Also see:
Part 1: The Klepto
Part 2: The Slapper
Part 3: The Baby Mama
Part 4: Socks
Part 5: The Jackrabbit
Part 6: Gidget
Part 7: Twinkle Toes
Part 9: The Bird Flicker
Part 10: The Imp, The Lesbian Haircut, and The Bitch
Part 11: The Bugaboo