Page 146 - Abilene Living

to the President for a few more minutes about the “sneak attack” as the President referred to it. As the conversation continued Tom said he hoped he had given the President a moment to exhale. A sense of relief for a little while from the overwhelming stress that he bore on his shoulders that day. As the President walked away they told him they would be praying for him. President Bush stopped and turned and said, “Thank you, I need that.” Tom with a warm smile said, “I like to think... the President looked out the window as he planned America's next move, and saw fve cowboys standing out there on that grass, and I think he took that fve minutes to say,” hello,” and I think that he used that opportunity to come back to reality.”

HOMECOMING

“We did go back a year later and cater the same party. We catered for the President of Russia and China down at the President’s ranch for other occasions as well,” Tom adds, “ looking back now I can understand why they didn't want us to talk about our catering to folks we know, if it had been widely known that all of congress was going to be on the lawn that day they may have delayed their attack. After you live through that experience it makes you count your blessings and you forget sometimes how many you have.”

On his way home from Washington, DC after September 11th, Tom says he took a moment to count his. “You know when you're driving back and you're in Clyde on Interstate 20 there is a little hill and for a split second you can see all of Abilene... that was the nicest, warmest moment... I mean I could have curled up into a prenatal position I knew I was home and I have to tell you for us to be living in this part of the world with our community and everything... we are very fortunate.”  ALM

Tom Perini’s love for ranch life began as a young boy, growing up and working on his family’s ranch. In 1973 he turned that passion into a career and has since become America’s quintessential cowboy gourmet. After perfecting the traditional cowboy cuisine and creating a few recipes of his own, Perini moved from the back of the chuck wagon into his own restaurant on the family’s working ranch. Since 1983, Perini Ranch Steakhouse has served as home to the best chuck wagon style food in America. Perini Ranch Steakhouse is proudly located on the Perini Ranch in Buffalo Gap, Texas.