JR's Little Dallas Motor Inn
Never judge a book by its cover.
Or a hotel by its name.
Years and years and years ago, my mom booked a family vacation to the southern Missouri town of Branson. I can't remember how old I was. Not quite a teenager yet but old enough to begin using that "Do we gotta?" scorn kids are famous for.
The trip took a few hours. Somewhere along the halfway point, it dawned on my brother and me that we had no idea where we staying.
Mom's reply?
JR's Little Dallas Motor Inn.
Are you friggin' kidding me? Are we hillbillies?
Or worse? Fans of that '80s iconic classic soap, "Dallas"?
Uh. No.
So we gave her grief over the remainder of the trip. Sure, we weren't rich, weren't Waldorf Astoria people. But - COME ON! Were we so broke we had to rest our heads at what would undoubtedly be nothing more than a glorified doublewide??!
Imagine our surprise - and chagrin - when we pulled into the drive...of a Best Western.
Which just happened to be named JR's Little Dallas Motor Inn.
Oh, childhood memories.
So I was sad to learn this morning that Branson was devastated by a possible tornado in a line of storms that moved through the area last night.
And this is what used to be JR's Little Dallas Motor Inn...
My heart breaks for all of those who woke up to this. Downtown Branson, including many of its famous theaters, are in a similar condition.
Or a hotel by its name.
Years and years and years ago, my mom booked a family vacation to the southern Missouri town of Branson. I can't remember how old I was. Not quite a teenager yet but old enough to begin using that "Do we gotta?" scorn kids are famous for.
The trip took a few hours. Somewhere along the halfway point, it dawned on my brother and me that we had no idea where we staying.
Mom's reply?
JR's Little Dallas Motor Inn.
Are you friggin' kidding me? Are we hillbillies?
Or worse? Fans of that '80s iconic classic soap, "Dallas"?
Uh. No.
So we gave her grief over the remainder of the trip. Sure, we weren't rich, weren't Waldorf Astoria people. But - COME ON! Were we so broke we had to rest our heads at what would undoubtedly be nothing more than a glorified doublewide??!
Imagine our surprise - and chagrin - when we pulled into the drive...of a Best Western.
Which just happened to be named JR's Little Dallas Motor Inn.
Oh, childhood memories.
So I was sad to learn this morning that Branson was devastated by a possible tornado in a line of storms that moved through the area last night.
And this is what used to be JR's Little Dallas Motor Inn...
(photo courtesy of Branson, MO Recovery, Facebook)
My heart breaks for all of those who woke up to this. Downtown Branson, including many of its famous theaters, are in a similar condition.
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