Robby Zeringue says he took a stroll down memory lane when he uncovered a Sept. 1, 1969, edition of the State-Times as Sue, his retired sister, was reorganizing her stuff:
“This was tucked away 43 years ago on account of the New Orleans Pop Festival held during the Labor Day weekend in Prairieville.
“Sheriff H.M. Waguespack stated that things at the festival site were going ‘much better than I expected.’ (Peace and love, sheriff.)
“Other articles included the tragic death of Rocky Marciano in a plane crash in Iowa. (He was the REAL Rocky.)
“The Libyan army took over their country in a coup while their 79-year-old king, Idris I, was at a spa in Turkey. (Bad travel planning.)
“Hurricane Camille’s death toll reached 139 confirmed. (Kind of makes not having electricity seem sort of minor.)
“Joy’s Furniture at Fifth and Main had a nice four-burner gas range for $99.95. (The perfect couple, hurricane season and natural gas.)
“Labor Day fatalities climbed to 14 in Louisiana. (Please drive attentively. Or should I text you that message?)
“Goudchaux’s was selling boy’s long-sleeve Nehru shirts two for $1. (So Smiley, how many did you buy?)”
Our seminar on hideous ties reminds me of this tie story from back in the ’60s.
The staff at the chamber of commerce was having a party for one of our employees, involving gag gifts.
So I trudged over to Main Street to S&W Men’s Store.
Owner Izzy Saltz was sitting at the front of the store, presiding over his treasure trove of war surplus gear, jeans and offbeat clothing.
“I’d like the ugliest tie you have,” I told Izzy.
He didn’t even get up off his stool — just reached behind him and presented a tie of such stunning ugliness that it is still burns into my memory.
It was a wide tie, an unhealthy pale orange with brown, purple and yellow swirls on it.
I always felt that Izzy kept it within arm’s reach, just waiting for the day someone would ask for his ugliest tie.
Although Hurricane Isaac upstaged the Great Traffic Snarl of Aug. 22 — readers still recall that nightmare — and the way good people responded to it.
Sue Hilliard says if you were stuck in Jefferson Highway traffic near Drusilla Lane, she was the lady you saw walking along Jefferson wearing high heels and carrying a coffee pot.
She was on her way to Whealdon Estates seniors’ home with gourmet coffee for the residents when she realized she was in a massive traffic jam.
So she parked her car at the Bill Barkas Insurance Agency and walked the two blocks or so to Whealdon.
“When I walked back,” she says, “people at the Barkas Agency were passing out cold drinks to stranded drivers.”
Brenda Nixon of LSU says that as a space cadet, I should “be happy to let everyone know about the Sally Ride Science Festival for fifth- through eighth-grade girls coming to LSU on Saturday.
“Girls have to register online to participate — just Google it, email bnixon@lsu.edu or call (225) 205-2680.”
Here’s another story about an Isaac good deed:
Kathryn Broussard Beall of Jefferson Court says, “Before the hurricane, I had a knock at the door, and it was four neighborhood kids bringing me brownies and seeing if I needed anything, making sure I would be safe during the storm.
“After the storm, they came again, this time bringing pumpkin cupcakes because they know ‘Mr. Billy eats a lot’ (from the mouths of babes … ).
“My ‘li’l buddies’ are Alden Carter, who goes to Brighton Academy, and Abby Mitchell and Anisley and Paul Mascagni, who go to Our Lady Of Mercy.
“These parents are doing a great job teaching their kids about caring for people.”
The Arthritis Foundation benefits from Healing Hands for Arthritis Day on Wednesday at Massage Envy at Citiplace Court. For every one-hour massage and facial that day, $10 will be donated to the Arthritis Foundation.
The author calling himself “Not Quite E.L. James” offers this racy story for the older set:
“They crawled into bed together.
“After about 15 minutes, he spoke softly: ‘You want this?’ ‘No,’ she said. ‘Not tonight, thank you.’
“So he pulled the chilled gel pack from his achy shoulder and let it drop to the floor while she rolled over to her left side, since her hip was not hurting that night …”
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.
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