TCU

 After enduring a month in that bug-infested duplex, I moved up the street to an apartment building across from TCU.  It mostly housed retirees and professors, so it was really quiet.  I got an efficiency that was $205/mo. and worth every penny.  The apartment was pretty big with a walk-in closet.  I loved it.  I was on the second floor, and my balcony overlooked the inside swimming pool across the street and the university.  Just down the street one way was the football stadium.  Just up the street was a grocery store and movie theatre.  Just down from there was a record store.  It could not have been in a better location.
 Being across from TCU had its perks.  I went to a few events there.  One was a lecture by James Dickey, who I had known previously.  Jim brought his wife and daughter.  I met up with them after his lecture, and we laughed about old times.  I think he was very glad to see someone from home.  Another was a lecture by William Colby, who used to be the director of the CIA.  I told him the story about my working for them in Israel for a week and the dangers encountered there.  He confirmed to me that the agency often used civilians in their work.  I knew they did.  Another was the Van Cliburn Piano Festival, and I got to see him play. 
 Another plus for being at this new place was that it was close to the Ft. Worth Zoo.  If the wind was right, I could hear the animals vocalizing.  I went down there a few times.  It was not the best zoo, but it was nice to go.  One of my friends and I went there to ride the train around the park.  There were a group of Japanese tourists in front of us on the open-air train.  They had friends taking pictures of them as they went around the track.  We decided to ruin their pictures, so we covered our faces with our hands as they took the pictures.  I know they wondered who these guys were, and why they were afraid to have their faces seen.  One of life's mysteries for them.
 Across the street from the zoo was a rose garden.  This was where my father proposed marriage to my mother.  It was nice to go there.  I kind of wished Kare and I could have repeated that event, but it was not meant to be.
 Just up the street from the garden was the Colonial Country Club.  I could watch the golf tournament from a hill above the course.  Very cool.
 Also near there was another movie theatre.  I went to see "National Lampoon's Animal House" there.  At that showing, a bunch of fraternity guys went from TCU.  We had the best time watching that movie.  It was a party (literally).
 One winter, it snowed five times over a period of six weeks.  One snow piled on another, as none would melt.  I had to get out to go to the grocery store to get some milk.  It was 30 degrees below zero with the wind.  I lived only two blocks from the grocery store, but it took me almost 20 minutes to walk there, because I had to stop every few feet to catch my breath.  I learned not to run out of something and plan ahead.  I was young and stupid back then.
 I bought a lot of records at the store nearby, especially Beatles import albums from the UK.  It was a goldmine. 
 To be able to live there and not have to worry about an attack dog or millions of bugs was a real blessing.  It was also easier to get home from work or clubbing or both.