There was considerable "unrest" towards "anglos" in that country years earlier....Some of us railroaders almost got our butts kicked down there one time.
One August or September afternoon, myself and some other crew were laid over in Chama waiting to be called to go back west to Durango. We knew we wouldn't be called until the next day and were getting bored sitting around doing nothing. Someone had a car and we hopped in and decided to drive down to Tierra Amarilla to see what the place looked like.
On arrival we discovered an interesting looking saloon, swinging doors and all that, and decided to go in there for a couple beers.
Well, we walked into that place and sat down at a table, and of course it was full of the local Mexican residents, and it suddenly got REAL quiet.......
We got our beers OK, but the tension was so thick in there you could cut it.....Things was just waiting for some small spark to set it all off...someone eyeing one of the senoritas (of which there were several pretty ones present) or somesuch. This was one of them situations where the hair stands up on the back of your neck, if you know what I mean, and you suddenly begin paying close attention to where the way out of the place is.
In a very short while the owner of the place came over to our table with a bottle of very good drinking whisky, set it down on the table and said it would be a really really good idea for us all to vamoose pronto and get the hell clear out of town...
We took his advice and did so...Pronto....No further encouragement needed....and headed on back to Chama.
I never returned....maybe someday I will...quietly...and I'll stay out of the saloon!
