We're surrounded by trucks.

And no, I'm not talking about driving up and down U.S. 75, but right here at home.

There's a Ford F150 in our neighbor's driveway on the right, another F150 in the driveway on the left, a Toyota Tundra parked across the street and catty-corner sits a Chevy Silverado.

I'm not going to bore you with truck sales statistics; it's sufficient to say that Texas is THE truck market in the country. All you need to do is just look around -- there are trucks, trucks everywhere.

When we made road trips from "up North" to visit our son when he was attending law school at Southern Methodist University, we used to laugh that we didn't need a "Welcome to Texas" sign as we crossed into Texas at Texarkana. All we had to do is count the pickups on I-30 and we knew we were in Texas.

Why? There's no definitive answer. Maybe our macho Texas image, or that we like to play with big toys, or possibly that some of us, like contractors, tradesmen and the like, really have a legitimate need for a truck.

Did you notice that virtually every brand has a special Texas edition? Lots of chrome, big wheels, special paint, ornate badges, gussied-up interiors, all saying, without a doubt, that "Yep, we cater to Texans." After all, marketing types are not stupid.

But I've yet to see a special pickup edition in other states. Somehow a tricked-out truck for the cheeseheads in Wisconsin, maybe with a cheese and bratwurst motif, just doesn't seem appropriate. Or how about chrome icicles dangling from front and rear bumpers for the perpetually frozen drivers in Embarrass, Minn.? Well, don't hold your breath -- it ain't gonna happen.

There was a milestone anniversary not long ago at the GM plant in Arlington. Once proclaimed the National Car of Texas, the Chevy Suburban turned 75 this year, making it the granddaddy of the auto industry, the longest-running nameplate in a notoriously mercurial business. And of course, no need to tell you, it's a truck.

It's safe to say that truck appeal here is universal. Doctors, lawyers, chiefs of all kind and common folks like us love trucks. And when I get to our office, guess where I park? Right next to our managing editor's truck.

Ken Gaidziunas is a staff writer for The Anna-Melissa Tribune and the Van Alstyne Leader. He can be reached at kgaidziunas@yahoo.com.