By Glenn Dromgoole

A few things I’ve learned after making Abilene my home for 40 years. Maybe you’ll agree.

* Someone said “Keep Abilene Boring” and we take that as a compliment. 

* Quoting the Bible in Abilene is a contact sport. 

* A yellow traffic light means speed up and look both ways.

* A green traffic light means wait until someone honks. 

* We like trees so much we name streets for them. 

* The wind blows all the time, usually from the north and the south – at the same time. 

* If we get one-tenth of an inch of rain in the official gauge, streets will flood. 

* “Hail” and “oil” are two-syllable words here.

* The sun shines here on the just and the unjust, and just about every day. 

* We have our own song and sing it every chance we get. (OK, so maybe it’s not “the prettiest town I’ve ever seen.” It rhymes.)

* The stars at night are big and bright – inside the Paramount Theatre. 

* Wherever you go in town, you’ll probably see someone you know – and can’t remember their name.

* We must be doing something right because butterflies keep coming back. 

* Abilene is a great place to visit – and to stay.

Glenn Dromgoole is the author of more than 40 books, chapbooks, and booklets. This piece is taken from his booklet, 52 Pretty Much True Facts About Abilene, which is sold as a greeting card at Texas Star Trading Company.