A honky tonk, as defined by the urban dictionary, is as a loud, rowdy bar with country music, typically full of drunken rednecks having a good ole' time. Back in the forties and fifties there were plenty of honky tonks that fit that description scattered around Texas, but not so many today.
There are lots of stories surrounding honky tonks, mostly about little-known musicians who got their start playing those bars and then going on to stardom. On the flip side, there are scant stories about the patrons of honky tonks, except in country music lyrics.
One such honky tonk sat in the piney woods on a hill overlooking a large pond. You could see it as you drove along old highway 75 in Walker County. For lack of a better name it was simply called the Pine Cone. Saturday nights at the Pine Cone featured a live country band, pretty girls, and plenty of alcohol. Locals, and the boys who worked the lumber mill, gathered there for a little flirting, a little dancing, and a lot of drinking.
One frequent visitor to the Pine Cone was Calvin J. Those who knew Calvin considered him a good ole' boy with a slight problem, he never knew when a good time was done. One Saturday, a little before midnight, Calvin stumbled out of the Pine Cone, got into his '40 Ford and turned on the headlights. That's about the time Calvin remembered he had a long drive home, so back into the honky tonk he went. When he came out, carrying a six-pack of Lone Star, his car was gone.
Calvin was at a loss, so back into the bar he went and rousted out two of his slightly inebriated buddies, Leon and Benny. Together they went looking for the car. After a few minutes of searching the parking lot, Leon yelled, "Get over here guys, you gotta' see this!"
After the threesome made their way down the incline to the pond, they stopped and stared in amazement. Two glowing orbs winked at them from under the water. A black roof and two shining headlights were all that was visible.
"Calvin, I think we done found your car!" Leon proclaimed.
Benny, who drove the company wench truck, backed that old diesel down to the water's edge. After a bit of discussion about who was the soberest, or the drunkest, Leon took off his boots, rolled up his pant legs and waded into the pond. He wrapped a steel cable around the front bumper and yelled to Benny, "All set, pull 'er out!"
As the wench tightened that steel cable, the sound of groaning metal came bubbling up form under the water. Without warning, there was a loud pop followed by a '40 Ford bumper, bent into the shape of a 'V', sailing through the air. It landed with a thud on the ground in front of a startled Calvin and Leon.
Not to be outmatched by a two-and-a-half-ton piece of metal, Leon took a deep drag from his cigarette, flipped it into the water and waded back in. On the second try, with the cable secured to the frame, the car reluctantly slid free of the muck and out onto the bank.
Leon opened the driver's door and watched the water rush out. "Maybe there's a fish or two in there!"
Benny, taking a peek inside, yelled to his buddy, "Right there's your trouble Calvin, you forgot to set the parking brake!" He laughed. "If you hadn't of left the lights on we'd never of found your car." Uttering some expletives, Calvin threw his gimme cap to the ground.
Leon and Benny stood against the drenched car shaking their heads and grinning like possums. Benny took the bottle opener from the keychain attached to his belt and uncapped the longnecks. While country music drifted from the top of the hill, the boys drank that six-pack of Lone Star.
Like folks said, Calvin never knew when a good time was done. The following Saturday night he showed up at the Pine Cone driving a '40 Ford that was missing its front bumper.
I heard this story when I was a kid. My uncle who worked at the lumber mill told it.
There are lots of stories surrounding honky tonks, mostly about little-known musicians who got their start playing those bars and then going on to stardom. On the flip side, there are scant stories about the patrons of honky tonks, except in country music lyrics.
One such honky tonk sat in the piney woods on a hill overlooking a large pond. You could see it as you drove along old highway 75 in Walker County. For lack of a better name it was simply called the Pine Cone. Saturday nights at the Pine Cone featured a live country band, pretty girls, and plenty of alcohol. Locals, and the boys who worked the lumber mill, gathered there for a little flirting, a little dancing, and a lot of drinking.
One frequent visitor to the Pine Cone was Calvin J. Those who knew Calvin considered him a good ole' boy with a slight problem, he never knew when a good time was done. One Saturday, a little before midnight, Calvin stumbled out of the Pine Cone, got into his '40 Ford and turned on the headlights. That's about the time Calvin remembered he had a long drive home, so back into the honky tonk he went. When he came out, carrying a six-pack of Lone Star, his car was gone.
Calvin was at a loss, so back into the bar he went and rousted out two of his slightly inebriated buddies, Leon and Benny. Together they went looking for the car. After a few minutes of searching the parking lot, Leon yelled, "Get over here guys, you gotta' see this!"
After the threesome made their way down the incline to the pond, they stopped and stared in amazement. Two glowing orbs winked at them from under the water. A black roof and two shining headlights were all that was visible.
"Calvin, I think we done found your car!" Leon proclaimed.
Benny, who drove the company wench truck, backed that old diesel down to the water's edge. After a bit of discussion about who was the soberest, or the drunkest, Leon took off his boots, rolled up his pant legs and waded into the pond. He wrapped a steel cable around the front bumper and yelled to Benny, "All set, pull 'er out!"
As the wench tightened that steel cable, the sound of groaning metal came bubbling up form under the water. Without warning, there was a loud pop followed by a '40 Ford bumper, bent into the shape of a 'V', sailing through the air. It landed with a thud on the ground in front of a startled Calvin and Leon.
Not to be outmatched by a two-and-a-half-ton piece of metal, Leon took a deep drag from his cigarette, flipped it into the water and waded back in. On the second try, with the cable secured to the frame, the car reluctantly slid free of the muck and out onto the bank.
Leon opened the driver's door and watched the water rush out. "Maybe there's a fish or two in there!"
Benny, taking a peek inside, yelled to his buddy, "Right there's your trouble Calvin, you forgot to set the parking brake!" He laughed. "If you hadn't of left the lights on we'd never of found your car." Uttering some expletives, Calvin threw his gimme cap to the ground.
Leon and Benny stood against the drenched car shaking their heads and grinning like possums. Benny took the bottle opener from the keychain attached to his belt and uncapped the longnecks. While country music drifted from the top of the hill, the boys drank that six-pack of Lone Star.
Like folks said, Calvin never knew when a good time was done. The following Saturday night he showed up at the Pine Cone driving a '40 Ford that was missing its front bumper.
I heard this story when I was a kid. My uncle who worked at the lumber mill told it.
