FROM COMFORT: (1) I loved the look of the Rainbo Bread bench though
I don't recommend leaning back against the rusted sign. (2) Inside Ingenhuett's
place with its collection of neat crock pots. (3) The historic Faltin building with
Nigel the Land Rover resting out front.
TOO CLOSE IN COMFORT
If you can't say something nice about someone, give them both barrells. That's what a
feller I knew used to say. Course he didn't have many friends, and the ones he had ended
up wounded in some way.
Story & Photos by IRA KENNEDY
Remember that phrase I mentioned awhile back? "Too close
to Welfare for Comfort." Well it seems Ms. Intrepid and I got too close to
Comfort for Ingenhuett, but you'll learn all about that soon enough. |
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 fter licking the chocolate off my fingers till they wrinkled up,
like after a long swim or falling asleep in the bath, I spotted a neat old store about the
same time as Ms. Intrepid. Actually, I saw the old Rainbo sign on a sidewalk bench
and the Ms. spotted the Fancy Groceries sign. There was plenty of parking space right out
front so we let Nigel the Land Rover rest up a bit while we scouted out the Peter
Ingennhuett Fancy Groceries Hardware and Implements store.
 In the room off to
the right there was plenty of neat old stuff expecially the shelf upon shelf of crock pots
with butter churns way up on top. I actually churned butter in my youth so those
contraptions don't hold out much charm in my direction. Nearby there was a small glass
display case with old timey photos of Comfort and a rack with drawings by locals.
Beyond that you're pretty much looking at an slightly stocked hardware store.
As we mosyed on into the "Fancy Food"
section Ms. Intrepid walked over to an old feller who was sitting down and talking to a
younger type standing near the door. As typical, the conversation was moving kinda
slow-like so Ms. Intrepid wasn't really interrupting when she asked the one and only
question she will ever utter in that structure.
First I need to clear up one thing. That Fancy
Food sign was really old and probably painted some time around the invention of tin cans.
Maybe Ol Ingennhuett had some Gourmet potato chips somewhere but I didn't get a chance to
brouse the little chip section cause about that time I looked up when I heard Ms.
Intrepid.
"You the owner here?" she asked like always
when she's trying to lure conversation out of folks.
The old feller didn't look sideways. Didn't say
nothin. He grunted and managed the slightest nod in the affirmative. Now Ms.
Intrepid didn't utter another word. This old goat was about as friendly as a fire ant
mound so I knew we were quitting this place. We were out the door and around the
bend before Ms. Intrepid spoke up.
"You heard what he said?"
"Who?"
"The owner. On our way out he said, 'Its amazing
the kinda trash they let in.'"
"Well if that's what's really bothering him he
oughta move outa state."
Now, I never judge a town by such a small portion of
the population, but the folks in Comfort ought put out a "Geezer Alert" every
time that feller enters the city limits.
While continuing our drive around town we came upon
the Faltin Building. We remembered this place cause they once advertised in the
"late and lamented" Enchanted Rock Magazine. I was always too busy
to visit back then, but now I wish I had cause its closed for renovation. You've gotta
love these historic preservation types. Without them our grandkids might think
folks always lived and worked in unadorned structures. I stood on the middle of the
Main Street to take
the some photos of the place before turned back north toward the headwaters.
PAGE 1: THE UPPER GUADALUPE / PAGE 2: COMFORT
PAGE 3: CAMP VERDE /
PAGE 4: THE HEADWATERS
PAGE 5: DOWNSTREAM / THE MAP
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