The Flood

OK. Here's another one. Tompa and Granny had lived on farms/ranches during their youth. I guess at some point he decided he wanted a different kind of life and became a policeman in Waco. I don't know how long that lasted, but I do remember that he said there was a flood in the city, and his job had him rescuing "whores" from rooftops in a rowboat.
Nancy