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Some years ago I worked for a chemical company that had a plant in Freepoprt, TX, right alongside the fence with Dow Chemical's huge plant along the Gulf Coast. I was sent there to study the plant to see what uses I might find for it.
This plant was designed to make perfume chemicals & vitamin raw materials. It had been shut down after an explosion had killed several workers.
$15M in 1970s $$$ had been wasted.
At the time I lived in Cleveland, OH. While planning my trip, I became aware of the city of Cleveland, TX, a northern suburb of Houston.
After driving to Freeport from the Houston airport, I checked in to a La Quinta motel & headed out to explore Freeport.
The main road came to end at the beach. I took off my shoes & socks & walked to the water's edge. This was my first experience with the Gulf of Mexico.
That part of the Gulf was very shallow. After walking into the Gulf nearly a quarter mile, the water was barely up to my ankles.
Back on shore I noticed a bar. It was not much more than a big shack resting on cinder blocks. I went inside & met a bunch of true native Texans. I ordered a beer & started to chat with one of the local men. No women.
This big man asked me where I lived as I definitely did not have a Texas accent. When I told him Cleveland, he roared 'Shucks, man. You don't live in Cleve-land!'
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I was attending a conference in Houston & asked a Glaxo senior chemist if he would join me for dinner. He agreed. That evening we went to Brennan's, a famous restaurant in Houston.
The place was nearly empty. They had closed off the upper level. I had requested a non-smoking table only to find out subsequently that the upper level was the smoking area. A bit later a group of 4-5 well-dressed local men (lawyers?) came in & were seated at the next table to ours. And of course they all began smoking.
When I complained to the waiter, he spoke to this group. They thought this was immensely funny, and ordered cigars.
Being with a potential customer, I couldn't say anything. We left the cloud of cigar smoke behind.
This plant was designed to make perfume chemicals & vitamin raw materials. It had been shut down after an explosion had killed several workers.
$15M in 1970s $$$ had been wasted.
At the time I lived in Cleveland, OH. While planning my trip, I became aware of the city of Cleveland, TX, a northern suburb of Houston.
After driving to Freeport from the Houston airport, I checked in to a La Quinta motel & headed out to explore Freeport.
The main road came to end at the beach. I took off my shoes & socks & walked to the water's edge. This was my first experience with the Gulf of Mexico.
That part of the Gulf was very shallow. After walking into the Gulf nearly a quarter mile, the water was barely up to my ankles.
Back on shore I noticed a bar. It was not much more than a big shack resting on cinder blocks. I went inside & met a bunch of true native Texans. I ordered a beer & started to chat with one of the local men. No women.
This big man asked me where I lived as I definitely did not have a Texas accent. When I told him Cleveland, he roared 'Shucks, man. You don't live in Cleve-land!'
========================================================
I was attending a conference in Houston & asked a Glaxo senior chemist if he would join me for dinner. He agreed. That evening we went to Brennan's, a famous restaurant in Houston.
The place was nearly empty. They had closed off the upper level. I had requested a non-smoking table only to find out subsequently that the upper level was the smoking area. A bit later a group of 4-5 well-dressed local men (lawyers?) came in & were seated at the next table to ours. And of course they all began smoking.
When I complained to the waiter, he spoke to this group. They thought this was immensely funny, and ordered cigars.
Being with a potential customer, I couldn't say anything. We left the cloud of cigar smoke behind.