Smiley Anders for Dec. 5, 2011
Stories like this one make doing this column a delight:
Judy Hoffpauir, of Gonzales, says years ago she had just seen her soldier grandson Landon off to Baghdad and was leaving the airport.
She saw another young man in uniform standing against a wall with “a very confused and anxious look on his face.”
She was about to pass by when she recalled her pastor’s message about “angels unaware” and listening to our inner voices:
“I turned and faced the young man and said, ‘Thank you for your service. What can I do to help you?’
“To my amazement he hugged me and, with a tear in his eye, explained that he was on his way to Baghdad and didn’t have a phone or money to talk to his family one more time.
“This old granny had a cellphone with many extra minutes, so he called his mom and his girlfriend.
“Then his flight was announced, and as he handed me the phone I reached in my purse and handed him a $20 bill. He refused at first, until I told him I wanted him to have it ‘just in case.’
“I still get a warm glow when I remember the terrific bear hug he shared with me!
“Our grandson returned home, wounded but OK. We are getting ready to watch our youngest grandson head to Afghanistan in February.
“Pray for our soldiers, please.”
Short and sweet
Former Advocate editor Roy Pitchford, now retired in Monroe, says our headline about the Waterproof man drowning reminds him of the classic headline penned by one of our copy editors (who shall remain nameless because the last thing I want to do is mess with the people editing my column).
When Mother Teresa came to town and addressed the Legislature, this editor, faced with a very narrow column for his headline, came up with:
“Noted Nun Speaks.”
It quickly became a newsroom legend. …
Good cents
Gary Cross, of Prairieville, has this penny story:
“Good friend John McGehee and I went to lunch in Baton Rouge in the 1970s, and we stopped by his father’s home.
“Mr. McGehee was working in his garage on one of his projects.
“John asked his dad, ‘Why are you drilling holes in those pennies?’
“His dad replied, ‘I need washers for this project.
The hardware store wanted 2 cents per washer, and they were the same size as the copper penny.
“I’m saving 1 cent per washer, and they will last forever.”
Boy in the band
I heard from another member of the Court Jesters, the student band that played at LSU basketball games in the late ’60s and early ’70s.
Boo Bryant writes from Blue Ridge, Ga., to say he played trumpet in the group, composed of LSU band members who “just showed up.”
Speaking of song
Fred and Lauren Clark have come up with a new LSU tribute song honoring the Tigers.
Called “The Boys From Red Stick City,” it’s a remix of “The Boy From New York City,” a 1965 hit for the doo-wop group the Ad Libs and a 1981 hit for the jazz vocal quartet Manhattan Transfer.
The link to the music video is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkagM20mP6Q&feature=colike.
Art alert
On open house Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the McGlynn, Glisson & Mouton law firm, 340 Florida St., features the December “SMArt Melt” exhibition, by students at St. Alphonsus Catholic School. Call (225) 344-3555.
Worthy causes
Paula Aliers says Painting with a Twist in Prairieville has a holiday-themed Pancreatic Cancer Action Network fundraiser Saturday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.
For details or to reserve a space, call (225) 744-7273 or email prairieville@painting
withatwist.com.
Special People Dept.
- Audrey Roccaforte, of Landmark of Baton Rouge, celebrates her 99th birthday Monday.
- Antoinette Gueho, of Livonia, celebrates her 90th birthday Monday. Originally from Alsace, France, she’s a war bride from World War II.
Violent sport
Joe Guilbeau, of Plaquemine, says, “This fall season everybody is watching all the running, pushing, shoving, kicking and tackling.
“No, not football — all this is going on at the mall sales, Black Friday, etc.”
The farm girl diet
Janine Brown, of Prairieville, says her great-niece, 2-year-old Sierra Cormier, can often be found sharing toy John Deere tractors with big brother Reed, 4:
“Apparently, Reed has lots of trouble in his ‘hay field,’ because he often takes off the tractor tires.
“While enjoying a meal out, mom Jessica asked Sierra if she liked the taco salad.
“As she was removing all the sliced black olives, Sierra replied, ‘Yes, but I don’t like these TIRES on it.’ ”
Write Smiley at Smiley@theadvocate.com. He can also be reached by fax at (225) 388-0351 or mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821.