Smiley Anders for Oct. 29, 2012

As you may have noticed, I don’t write about politics.

I don’t see the point — I know I’m not going to change your political views (erroneous as they may be) and you’re darn sure not going to change mine.

So I’ll limit our political commentary to the poetic variety, as presented by Walt Brunty, the Benton Bard (formerly the Baker Bard, before he moved to the Frozen Nawth of Bossier Parish.) Here’s what he says:

“Politics, politics, when will it stop?

It’s there where I work, it’s there where I shop.

The problem I have, is it soooo interferes,

with watching a game and quaffing some beers.

We watch the debates until we can’t see,

and miss the ball games that are on TV.

These ads come on near every day,

while we try to watch instant replay.

But one thing for certain, and I made me a note;

I’ve got to be sure to get out and vote.”

Fry day in the Quarter

Recent mention of Deanie’s, a popular New Orleans seafood place noted for its big fried seafood platters, reminds me of a columnists’ conference in New Orleans several years ago.

The National Society of Newspaper Columnists was starting its three-day conference on a Friday morning, but most participants were arriving Thursday afternoon or evening.

I thought it would be nice to steer the early arrivals to a great French Quarter restaurant to prevent them from wandering into some tourist trap and then proclaiming forever after, “I don’t see what’s so great about New Orleans food.”

So I offered to make reservations at Susan Spicer’s Bayona on Dauphine, and was surprised when 25 of them took me up on it.

We dined in Bayona’s upstairs wine room, a dark, low-ceilinged space seemingly designed for Mafia confabs.

A wine columnist from California offered to select our beverages, and we began to peruse Susan’s imaginative menu: seared scallops, striped bass, sausage stuffed rabbits, veal sweetbreads, smoked quail, lamb loin, duck breast, etc.

We were settling in for a gourmet feast when another California columnist put down her menu and petulantly cried, “I wanted fried seafood!”

We didn’t know what to say. Then a guy who knew New Orleans told her that Deanie’s had just opened a place on Iberville, not far away, and off she went.

I guess that for someone from the land of sprouts and tofu, our ubiquitous Louisiana fried shrimp and oysters must seem as exotic and dangerous as Japanese blowfish.

The bottom line

Lynda Normand presents evidence that her 4-year-old grandson is a true Cajun.

He and his 2-year-old sister were looking over his older brother’s Halloween costume, which included a pair of sunglasses, when somehow the glasses got broken.

The youngster then called his grandfather to complain that his mom wouldn’t fix the glasses as he suggested — with Boudreaux’s Butt Paste.

Oh. Never mind…

Paul Major, of Livonia, tells how cursory reading of headlines can cause confusion:

“The last part of the top headline in Thursday’s Advocate was briefly covered up when I got the paper, causing me to read ‘BR bars can open.’

“My first thought was, ‘What kind of government overreach is this? How can they tell us we can only eat fresh food by barring the use of can openers?’ “Then I uncovered the rest of the headline (in which ‘Sunday’ was added).

“I think all of the political campaigning is beginning to get to me.”

Looking for stuff

• Melissa Babcock Argrave says the LSU School of Social Work is observing its 75th anniversary:

“In commemoration of its founding in 1937, the school is collecting photographs from its alumni, faculty and friends.”

Digital photographs with the estimated date the photo was taken and names of people in it, if known, may be e-mailed to [e-mail].

For information about the anniversary conference and celebrations, visit http://www.socialwork.lsu.edu.

• A reader at [phone] needs help finding an item I find baffling. It’s a metal-framed mirror you can wear around your neck.

There’s a story there somewhere…

Thought for the Day

From Fred Thomas, of Abbeville: “Weddings should always be in the early morning, so that if things don’t work out you will not have wasted the entire day.”

License to amuse

Dudley Lehew, of Denham Springs, says, “I always get a kick out of creative, personalized license plates.

“I saw one on a convertible the other day that caught my eye and made me admire the courage of the female driver who, I assume, receives all kinds of comments. Her tag read ‘TOPPLSS.’

“My all-time favorite personalized tag was also on a convertible, a very expensive European one.

“It read ‘WAS HIS.’ ”

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.