many years ago-----------------
PD knew a lot of things they don't teach in history books.
clandestine American maneuvers by conventional combat troops in Yugoslavia, in the late 50's helped that country break away from the soviets in the early 60's, and our country lost a couple dozen good American men in the doing.
In a part of that country where at least eight good men had been lost, including two officers...there was a particular day ...when PD Higginbotham was in a one-room cinder-block building, with a table, a silver case, a translator he didn't trust, and three mercenary-looking Bulgarians supposedly not-loyal to the soviets..5 men in the room..and PD's assignment was to walk out of that building with the case and stay alive long enough for a spotter to call in the helicopter transport currently hovering in place on the other side of a hill ,,,just a half-mile away.
and this was a cash deal, and the contents of the steel case pertained to rare mineral mines. and rail construction. It was one of those transactions that goes off right ..about 80% percent of the time. PD loved the action. his size was intimidating but PD was light on his feet and had a smile that could put one at ease. This was an operation where he drove up in a VW Bug and departed by chopper. he either left the car at the deal, ...or if there was static, blew it up remotely as diversion/tactical chaos. Once the spotter called in the copter ,, there was about 1 minute to kill before it swooped in. but .. There was no static.
that deal in the cinder-block room in yugo, in and of itself.. went smoothly, no posturing. no guns. all smiles. "big man ,little car" they laughed.. "yes yes" PD rubbed his neck.
PD walked out of the building with the case ,,and went and stood by the VW bug. But he spent that minute of wait-time looking around for a sharp object. He was unarmed,,… but he needed something with enough of an edge on it, to, ,,,if he had to,.. take off a man's finger….
….because one of those Bulgarians, the one who had extended his hand to accept PD's doppkit stuffed with cash… had gotten his mitts on, and was wearing ... an Aggie ring… and PD sure could tell ...that swarthy bulgarian mercenary ******* with a crooked smile.,..wasn't a graduate of Texas A&M…
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==the incident that put PD Higginbotham in a foul mood before coach's night==
so on SUNDAY AFTERNOON 5/7/23,,...three(3) days before Aggie Coach's Night in Fort Worth Texas…
At Eddie V's…3PM on a Sunday .these 5 clueless private-school tcu grads ...drunk...were sitting around a table having deep conversation, expressing their emotions about the woeful lack of food-trucks in Fort Worth...and why can't there be an airstream taco vendor on every corner like they have in Austin. ,,whaaa
And then one of these TCU twerps,,,drunk at 3pm.. noticed ...or took notice..of an elderly couple..casually but smartly dressed.. with noble bearing .,leaving the establishment..Eddie V's...and the tall, elderly gentleman (PDH) had on his head, a pristine Texas A&M Aggie Century Club ballcap,,, custom made and presented to him specially,, ,one of only 23 like it in existence..,
