Wrestling the Devil

I was both single and debt free when I left Texas Oil and Gas in 1978 to pursue a life as an independent geologist. I left a good salary, cushy expense account and company car, hoping to strike it rich as an Oklahoma oil baron. After ninety days had passed, I was wondering if I should go and beg for my job back.

I had no car or house payment, but I had no house, my 1966 Triumph Tr4, a car not known for its reliability. I also had a Triumph 750 Bonneville motorcycle that was also less than reliable. I did have two girlfriends at the time and one of them, Carol, lent me a thousand dollars. That and the thousand I borrowed against my motorcycle were about all I had at the time.

I managed to eke out a living as a consultant, making a few bucks by testifying at the Corporation Commission and writing geological reports. Still, my life was stark compared with the relatively lush existence I had experienced at TXO. As summer approached, I was working at the geological library everyday, trying to develop prospects. Developing prospects was no problem, finding someone to buy them was.

A fellow geologist and his wife asked my girlfriend Gayle and I to spend the weekend with them at their cabin on Lake Murray. After a false start on my motorcycle (Gayle was so frightened of the bike that she remained constantly rigid, trying to stay upright even when I leaned into a curve. Realizing we were both having a stressful trip, I turned around before reaching the city limits and traded the bike for the two-seater.

The Tr4 was unreliable but a dream to drive. With the top down and the wind in your hair, the growl of the little four-banger engine made you feel like an Italian road racer. Gayle and I both had giant smiles on our faces when we pulled into the rest stop just inside the Lake Murray gates.

Coming out of the little geologist’s room, I witnessed an attack. A young man and woman were in a Chevy, the windows up. A very angry young man was kicking in the door and driver’s window with his foot. The attack didn’t last long as park rangers showed up and quickly interceded.
As I stood watching with my mouth agape, one of the rangers asked me if I had witnessed the altercation. He took my name, number and address. A lawsuit resulted and a while later, I got a subpoena to appear as a witness for the defense.

The trial was to take place in the middle of the week. I showed up at the Murray County Courthouse, a scenic and historic old building, and presented myself to the court clerk. I could tell you that an epic court battle ensued, complete with wonderful country lawyers such as Spenser Tracy and Frederic March in Inherit the Wind. It didn’t happen.

The two sides, instead, settled out of court. I got a thank you, was patted on the shoulder and sent on my way. A few week’s later, I received a small witness fee—thirty bucks, as I remember. It wasn’t much but it turned out to be the only money I made that month. About that time, I felt a bit like a schmuck. I was quickly beginning to realize I didn’t have all the answers to life.

The second six months of my independence, all hell broke loose. It was the beginning of the early eighties oil boom, Oklahoma City soon transformed into a boomtown, drunk from the money pouring in from all directions. I cleared almost $400,000 my second six months and it only got better, at least for awhile.

As a young man, I was unaware of the cycles of boom or bust in the oil patch. A wizened veteran now, I have experienced more than my share of both. Would I trade it for what could have been a stable existence, working for a company with wonderful benefits and a good salary? Nah!

Living your life in “Happy Town” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. It is, in fact, boring. For me, life is only worth living when you are out there swinging, taking existence by the throat, wrestling with the devil and taking your chances. Whether you are living the good life on top of cloud nine, or waiting for a handout in the welfare line, its better when you don’t know all the answers. Even if you did, they would probably only scare you.

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