Smiley Anders for Aug. 7, 2012

It’s hardly news that the younger you are, the more likely you are to take electronic communications for granted, and use a variety of devices easily and often.

Still, it’s a little alarming how quickly kids adapt to the technology.

Gary Couvillion got this tale from his daughter Danielle Mock, about her husband, Clint, and their 4-year-old daughter, Hadlei:

“With Clint working so much and often in meetings, we have found that the easiest way for us to communicate throughout the day is by text.

“Hadlei was always asking if she could text Daddy, but being that she can’t spell/type we settled on a compromise of me typing and then letting her press the ‘Send’ button.

“The other night when I was putting her to bed it was time to say our prayers.

“I say a simple prayer which usually goes something like, ‘Dear Jesus, we love you. Goodnight. Amen.’

“That night after I said ‘Amen,’ Hadlei speaks up and says, ‘Send.’ ”

Initial reaction

Speaking of technology, George Lane says, “In reviewing all the new gadgets these kids today have, like iPod and iPhones, I still remember when a PDA was a ‘Public Display of Affection,’ which got you a one-way trip to the principal’s office and limited telephone privileges, whatever they were.”

Flat nice people

“The Port Hudson Plodder” says, “After a very long, stressful morning in Baton Rouge, we were heading home down Airline Highway in the blazing heat when we had a flat tire.

“We pulled into an old apartment complex to put on the spare.

“During the time it took to get the never-used tools out, we had three individuals stop and offer to help.

“The last one, Frank Carmena, would not accept my statement that I had it under control, and proceeded to change the tire for us.

“After thanking him and getting back in the car, I told my wonderful bride of almost 58 years that I had always considered my appearance as being very mature, maybe slightly elderly, but that I must look like a feeble, decrepit old man to others.

“Trying to repair my damaged ego, she said, ‘I was out there too — and there are just flat nice people in Baton Rouge.’

“Ain’t life grand!”

Air show

Phoebe Thompson, of Clinton, says, “Recently I was looking out my back door and three birds flew out over my roof.

“There was a cardinal, woodpecker (who when in flight shows mostly his white feathers) and a blue jay.

“When they got into the middle of the backyard air space, one went straight and the other two flew right and left respectively.

“They looked like a precision military jet group doing a flyover formation.

“It was truly a red, white and blue moment! Even Mother Nature is patriotic.”

Looking for people

The Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response Center seeks volunteers to staff the 24-hour crisis hotline and assist survivors of sexual assault in hospital emergency rooms.

Volunteers’ training classes, lasting 40 hours, will start Sept. 4. Call [phone].

Worthy causes

The Blake Terry Memorial Foundation hosts the initial “Pirates of the Gulf” fishing rodeo at Moran’s Marina in Fourchon Friday through Sunday.

The foundation is a nonprofit organization formed as a search, rescue and recovery support fund for divers lost at sea.

For information, go to http://www.btmemorialfoundation.com.

Special People Dept.

• Anna Blaylock, formerly of Luling, now at Amber Terrace retirement community, celebrated her 91st birthday Saturday.
• Mildred “Millie” Green celebrates her 90th birthday Tuesday. Janet Cavin says, “‘Miss Millie’ is a former telegraph operator, whose flying fingers tapped out messages for Illinois Central Railroad during the latter part of World War II and for some years after.”
• Lena and John T. Roshto celebrated their 66th anniversary June 9. He’s a World War II Merchant Marine veteran.

Elbow-licking good

Dr. Bill Smith has this thought about our summer vine-ripened tomato season:

“You have not made the perfect tomato sandwich unless you need to stand over the kitchen sink to eat it.”

Show of support (?)

Indy Fry comments on recent letters questioning my work ethic and the need for my series of Well-Deserved Vacations:

“Dear Smiley: I am dismayed by how many people disrespect you about ‘your’ column.

“It takes a lot of intelligence, hard work and imagination to come up with those cute titles for everyone else’s stories.

“Shame on them! Keep up the good work!

“(Umm, by the way, you ARE the one that thinks up those titles, aren’t you? ’Cause if you don’t do that, what DO you do?)”

Write Smiley at [e-mail]. He can also be reached by fax at [phone] or mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821.