Border Bordello Story

I worked at the Exxon gas station at the end of Elizabeth in Brownsville, Texas at the entrance to the-then-new bridge. This was probably 1967 or so, don’t remember the time of year. That gas station is no longer there, it has been leveled and is now a little park area where pedestrians rest before going or coming across the bridge. My main job was servicing cars-remember full service when gas was a quarter-but occasionally I would drive a taxi. The station owner had a taxi service with two taxis; I think they where 1965 Chevy Impalas, beige in color.

That particular day in the evening they were short of drivers and he had a customer that requested service, so they sent me.

The customer was at the Fort Brown Motel, so I drove to the lobby entrance and picked Him up. He was a gentleman in his fifties with a dignified appearance, average height and weight. He appeared a little nervous; you know……. kind of…… looking around to see if anyone saw him get in the taxi. When he got in the back I asked him where he would like to go…….he said he wanted to go to Matamoros, Mexico. I started to drive out and he asked me how much it would cost him and how long it would take. I quizzed him about the destination because that would determine the fair……..I told him Matamoros was very close to our present position and there were quite a few places to visit over there; the market, the plaza, some night clubs, etc.. He “hemmed and hawed” around a little and said: I want to go to the red light district….you know….”Boys Town”. So I said O.K. and gave him the fair to that destination. I know what everyone is thinking…how did I know how to get there?…as it turned out I had driven a group of men out there just the previous week where I followed another cab driver….I remember because it was muddy and I almost got stuck on main street Boys Town; that would have been embarrassing.

He started to relax a little as we drove out there and he started to tell me what he was doing in Brownsville, Texas and where he was from. There was some type of convention of Judges, I don’t remember if was county or municipal or what….but he was a Judge from some area in East Texas.

As we drove onto the main street of the district….He started to get nervous again and kind of scrunched down in his seat so no one would see him. I asked him where he wanted to be dropped off. He said; just pick a place…so I did. When we stopped He said: Listen you know I am a Judge and don’t really want to be seen…will you ask if they have a more discreet entrance? I said OK and I went out to front door of the “establishment” and talked to the guy at the front door. In Spanish I told him: listen I have a VIP in the cab who wants a little discretion, do you have another way to get in and meet some of the girls. He said: Oh yeah, this happens all the time we have a room you can access through the back. He gave me directions and told me he would open the back door and let him in.

I went back to the taxi and told the gentleman I would take him to the back entrance, and I did. When we got back there he asked if I would walk him there because it was dark and he didn’t know Spanish; he paid me for the fare and gave me a good tip. I walked him back and the bordello-guy opened the back door. We walked through this dark corridor with rooms at each side where the ladies “did their business”. We came to the a large double door that opened to a large bright smoke filled room full of people having a fun time…….I looked over to the judge and he had a surprised look on his face and then he started to laugh…..because….THE ROOM WAS FULL OF JUDGES.