Located at the southernmost edge of the United States, facing the Gulf of Mexico to the east, and ranking second in area among all fifty states, surpassed only by the enclave of Alaska—
—Texas.
Even if you knew nothing about it, you had probably heard its name. And if you knew anything about it beyond poker—
Then you definitely knew the trademark features of this land.
Vast and sparsely populated, with simple, down-to-earth people; known for steaks and BBQ; nearly every household kept a hunting rifle; summer lasted six months a year; and girls in hot pants were everywhere.
Oh, and there was no braised chicken here. That joke was way too old and boring.
Just as Los Angeles left you without legs if you had no car, the words "vast and sparsely populated" alone let you imagine the atmosphere here. It certainly was not a modern metropolis packed with skyscrapers like San Francisco.
Most of the buildings were low-rise and scattered far apart, giving the place the open, sprawling feel of a huge town. Vast wilderness, grasslands, fields, and farms could be seen everywhere.
So you would find that the vehicles here were mostly pickup trucks.
Seriously, people here genuinely loved driving pickups. There was even a subtle hierarchy of disdain around it.
Everyone thought only sissies drove sedans. Real men were supposed to drive pickups!
And unlike the free and open Northeast, people here were traditional and conservative, with Christian beliefs. Outside big cities like Austin, you could genuinely feel how warm-hearted they were.
For example, if you asked someone at a steakhouse for help, they really would drive you home in their pickup. "Simple, honest folk" was not just an empty phrase.
Of course, that simplicity was somewhat synonymous with toughness. Maybe it was because gun ownership