Tattered Jeans

When a teacher terrorizes and a shy hero stands beet strong: Giving thanks for atrue lost friend

Mrs. Thompson wasn’t much taller than her students. She wore flat shoes thatmade no sound when she walked and her eyes were the color of powder blue. Makethat steel.
Photo via NowhereWithMe.com
In the cafeteria, Mrs. Thompson circled around and around our table repeatingher pet rule. “Eat two bites of everything!” she commanded. One day, much to mydread, beets were served.
Photo via MegaBeth.com
Apparently, Lester hated beets as much as I did and decided to follow suit.Unfortunately, he didn’t get far. Neither did his beets. The invisible Mrs.Thompson suddenly appeared, poised over poor Lester like a snake about tostrike. “Give me your napkin!” she demanded.
Photo via SkullADay.com
Lester stood taller than any of us that day. A humble, shy little boy whotaught me something no school ever could. Wherever you are Lester, I am gratefulto you.

This Thanksgiving, I am remembering Lester. Lester was a classmate of mine throughout elementary school, and in first grade, we had the great misfortune of being assigned to Mrs. Thompson’s class.

Mrs. Thompson wasn’t much taller than her students. She wore flat shoes that made no sound when she walked, and her eyes were the color of powder blue. Make that steel.

On PTA nights, she wore a smile that looked like a Jack-O-Lantern. When she angered — which was daily during class — she sprung like a trigger on a gun. Gritting her teeth, she’d get in your face and fire with words that made you shake. When she got into mine, I sure shook.

To at least one 6-year-old, she had supernatural powers. Invisible one second, all too visible in the next.

I stared at her teeth, which unfortunately, looked more menacing than her eyes. Along her gum lines were dark colors, as though she had just taken a bite from out of the underground.

Once in her classroom, you were never free of this woman. Not even at lunchtime. Then, she ordered us to get into a straight line, keep our hands to ourselves and walk, “silently to the cafeteria.” If she caught you talking to your neighbor along the way, she yanked you from the line like a hawk snatches its prey.

To at least one 6-year-old, she had supernatural powers. Invisible one second, all too visible in the next.

In the cafeteria, Mrs. Thompson circled around and around our table, repeating her pet rule: “Eat two bites of everything!” One day, much to my dread, beets were served.

I looked at those beets on my plate and suddenly, something big happened. I dared and did more. I plotted a plan to deceive.

On my right sat Lester. Lester was a quiet, shy type of boy who never harmed anyone or got into any trouble. This day, sadly, he would. Lester looked on in silence as I took a mouthful of beets, then pretended to wipe my mouth with a paper napkin.

After successfully spitting out three bites of beets, I froze, still unsure as to whether or not the eyes of Mrs. Thompson were upon me.

Minutes later, I was holding my napkin in my lap like a hamster, feeling relieved and utterly thrilled, amazed with my great fortune! Apparently, Lester hated beets as much as I did and decided to follow suit.

Unfortunately, he didn’t get far. Neither did his beets.

Mrs. Thompson didn’t punish you with spankings. She slapped hands, like a butcher breaks bone with a meat cleaver.

The invisible Mrs. Thompson suddenly appeared, poised over poor Lester like a snake about to strike. “Give me your napkin!” she demanded. I don’t know whose stomach turned over the most, Lester’s or mine.

I felt terrible for Lester, but I was more terrified of my hide being next, or rather my hand. Mrs. Thompson didn’t punish you with spankings. She slapped hands, like a butcher breaks bone with a meat cleaver.

It was terrible seeing Lester cry. In some ways, it was more painful than feeling like my hand was on fire. Adding to this was the fact that Lester took the punishment without once pointing a finger at me.

I got lucky. Mrs. Thompson didn’t demand to see my napkin, as I so feared she would. Nor did she go down the row terrorizing others. I felt relieved again, but the pleasure of knowing that my scheme had been successful vanished.

In its place came a profound feeling of sadness, guilt and shame. Amazingly, Lester never held any of it against me. I didn’t dare pull then same scheme again.

Whenever I saw those damn beets on my lunch plate, I saw more than blood red. I saw Lester’s face and felt deep remorse.

Years later, interestingly enough, I like beets. I eat them on occasion and now taste something sweet. Lester stood taller than any of us that day. A humble, shy little boy who taught me something no school ever could.

Certainly not Mrs. Thompson. Wherever you are Lester, I am grateful to you.

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Growth report

Houston leads America in population growth for 2025, Census states

Houston skyline

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Imagine that the Houston metro area swallowed a city the size of Pearland in just one year. That’s essentially what happened from 2024 to 2025, with the Houston metro ranking first in the U.S. for population growth based on the number of people.

New estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau show the 10-county Houston metro added 126,720 residents from July 1, 2024, to July 1, 2025. That’s just shy of Pearland’s roughly 133,000-resident tally.

To calculate population, the Census Bureau counts births, deaths, new residents, and moved-away residents.

Region’s population approaches eight million

On July 1, 2025, the Houston metro’s population hovered slightly above 7.9 million, up 1.6 percent from the same time in 2024. In the very near future, the region’s population should break the eight million mark.

This follows massive growth in the past 20 years. From 2005 to 2025, the region’s population soared by 39 percent. By comparison, the growth rate from 2021 to 2025 sat at nine percent.

A forecast from the Texas Demographics Center indicates that under a middle-of-the-road scenario, the Houston metro’s population will reach nearly 8.5 million in mid-2030 and more than 9.5 million in mid-2040.

Dan Potter, director of Rice University’s Houston Population Research Center, attributes much of the region’s population surge to people moving to the area from outside the U.S. In Harris County, this means a combination of military personnel returning home, people living or working overseas coming back to the U.S., and immigrants relocating to the U.S., he tells CultureMap.

But Harris County fell short from 2024 to 2025 when it comes to people moving here from elsewhere in the U.S., according to Potter. Counties surrounding Harris County benefited from that trend, drawing new residents who preferred to settle in the suburbs.

“The incredible pull and attraction of the Houston area is its economy, its people, and its affordability, and the significant growth that was observed in 2024 and again in 2025 speaks to the magnetism of the region,” Potter says. “That pull to Houston is too strong to be turned off overnight.”

Cooling economy and immigration shifts slow down growth

Whether looking at urban or suburban places, population growth in the Houston area slowed in 2025 and appears to be slowing even more this year, Potter says.

“A cooling economy and changes to immigration policy are a one-two combination that could knock out the region’s population growth,” says Potter, citing the region’s addition of a less-than-expected 14,800 jobs in 2025 as an example.

Weaker population growth may not be felt evenly across the metro area, according to Potter.

A continuing influx of people from Houston to outlying counties such as Brazoria, Fort Bend, Liberty, Montgomery, and Waller could curb growth in Harris County, Potter said. Why? If the number of people arriving from other other countries flattens or even drops, then there could be “doughnut-style population growth for the next few years, where Harris County and Houston see declines while the suburban counties see an increase.”

Harris County represents 40 percent of region’s population lift

Houston-anchored Harris County accounted for almost 40 percent of the region’s population spike from 2024 to 2025. In one year, Harris County grew by 48,695 residents, or 1 percent, pushing its population past five million. That increase put Harris County in first place for numeric growth (rather than percentage growth) among all U.S. counties.

From 2020 to 2025, Harris County’s growth rate was 6.6 percent. It remains the country’s third largest county based on population, behind Southern California’s Los Angeles County and Illinois’ Chicago-anchored Cook County.

Harris County is on track to surpass Cook County in size in the near future. As of July 1, 2025, a nearly 150,000-resident gap separated population-losing Cook County and fast-growing Harris County.

The Texas Demographics Center predicts Harris County’s population will be 5.37 million in mid-2030 and just short of six million in mid-2040.

Suburban counties see significant population gains

Harris County isn’t the only county in the area that experienced a growth spurt from 2024 to 2025:

Waller County’s population climbed 5.69 percent, winding up at 69,858. Its growth rate ranked second among U.S. counties.
Liberty County’s population rose 4.4 percent to 121,364, putting its growth rate in eighth place among U.S. counties.
Montgomery County gained 30,011 residents, with its population landing at 781,194. That placed it at No. 4 among U.S. counties for numeric growth.
Fort Bend County picked up 24,163 residents, arriving at a total of 975,191 and positioning it at No. 8 among U.S. counties for numeric growth. Fort Bend County, the region’s second largest county based on population, is projected to break the one million-resident mark by July 2030, according to the Texas Demographics Center.

“Lower mortgage rates from 2009 to 2022 and the rise of remote work have made suburban housing more attractive, especially for families seeking affordability,” Pramod Sambidi, the Houston-Galveston Area Council’s assistant director of data analytics and research, said last year. “Additionally, suburban areas are seeing more multifamily developments than before the pandemic.”

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