Germans, Moonshine, and Drugheads

I've bragged about Austin being one of the safest cities I've ever spent time in. It isn't too much of a competition considering I have spent a whole lot of time in Richmond and Washington D.C., two cities with noteworthy levels of criminal activity, but still... it's a good selling point for Austin. Until the one weekend my parents decide to visit. Go figure.

We spent most of Sunday in Fredericksburg, a quaint little German town about an hour outside of Austin. Kristen and I had visited Fredericksburg when I visited Texas last August, and as soon as I stepped foot in the charming little town, I knew that I had to bring my Mom there. Main Street is lined with antique shops, German cafes, biergartens, and boutiques. It was fun to shop around, but it would have been more fun if Mom and Dad could fit the things they would have liked to buy in their suitcase. Minor details. We browsed the shops, enjoyed lunch and a German beer at a popular restaurant, and finished up our visit with a trip to Grape Creek Vineyards, a beautiful winery with gorgeous views and very good wine. We returned to Austin, chilled for a bit in the hotel, freshened up, and were on our way to Moonshine, my favorite restaurant in Austin (so far, at least). Dinner was so good. They really know how to win their customers over with a basket of popcorn on the table. I am a big fan of popcorn, and free popcorn tastes even better. The waitress didn't have to share every detail about how the restaurant is haunted and the little girl that hangs around there at night locking doors and breaking plates, but interesting nonetheless. We finished off the night with a shot of moonshine (Mom's request) that we all sipped on... yes, we all sipped on one shot of moonshine. We are close like that.

Just the day before as we were driving through the downtown area to their hotel, I was once again bragging about how safe the city of Austin is. I commented on the high number of homeless people, but made sure to mention how harmless and friendly they all appeared to be. I wanted my parents to know that I feel safe in the city I am living in when they are so far away. Somebody must have overheard this conversation and thought they might have a little fun with unassuming and naive Jaclyn.

We stepped out the front door of Moonshine, where there were a group of girls from a bachelorette party looking a bit out of sorts (I assumed there were one too many sugary shots to blame for that), but now it all makes sense. They were trying to avoid the completely insane drugged out bum that was probably heckling them and making them feel scared to walk the sidewalks of Austin. My parents and I quickly turned right out of the restaurant towards our hotel, and I noticed the bum slowly following our lead. Great. At that moment, my Dad suggested we cross the street, and Mom and I were quick to step out into the road... where a car was speedily making his way towards us. Dad yelled, "Run! Run girls!", without thinking that the bum might think Dad was encouraging us to run away from him, and not oncoming traffic. Again, great. I assume this bum took it as a challenge to creep closer and closer to us... Dad remained calm, I did not. Apart from being scared, I was mortified. Bragging rights out the window. And WHY, why the one weekend my parents are in town? He was on our tail, and started slurring things about how he's not going to hurt as, and we must think he's going to hurt us because we're white and he's black, and aaaww (insert expletives here) he was going to (insert threats that probably didn't make sense but still scared me). We quickly dipped into the restaurant of the Hilton, as I'm sure their customers enjoying dinner outside wondered what we did to make this drughead (I just made that word up) so fired up. We took a bathroom break in the Hilton and gave our new friend time to devote himself to another mission. Mom came out of the bathroom announcing her ultimate weapon: hairspray. She would have it ready for the bum's return, and he better watch out... this wasn't any ole' hairspray, it was ULTRA HOLD. Oh, I laugh thinking about what the drughead's reaction might have been if Mom pulled out her ultra-hold hairspray. Either way, I was thankful for Mom having a sense of humor toward the situation and for Dad informing me that he has witnessed much worse in other cities he has traveled to. Phew.

So let's just say that Sunday was an eventful day. It started out peaceful in a little German town and ended with a shot of moonshine and a little bit of action on the sidewalks of Austin. Sunday Funday, Amen.