My standard briefing to a new husband is the following:
Each and every morning when you wake up, kiss your wife and
say I'm Sorry.
Why!
Yours is not to know why.... SHE DOES
THIS
IS NOT THE SAME FOR MEN AND WOMEN.
When your wife has a baby, particular if they let you watch
(only ever do this but once)...
Somewhere in this sterile delivery room, there comes a time when you and the Doctor are saying
"Push, Push, Push.... then it gets to Push it out, Push it out.. and then because its football season:
"Push um back Push um back...waaaay back"
About then as time begins to stop and you and the Dr can see the LSU Tigers running on the field,
SHE
Stands up in the stirrups, inside this green tent they call a gown, a red glow in her eyes... and points this boney finger straight at you and sez
"You did this to Me"
Later
She tells you it feels like taking your lower lip in your hand and pulling it over the top of your head...
Four Years Later
"Don't you think its time for us to have a sister/brother for little Billy??"
I would like to speak to you of one such HERO friend. Jessie Monroe Knowles (1919-2006).
Born on July 3, 1919, Jesse Knowles passed away on April 23, 2006. A
survivor of the Bataan Death March, he was imprisoned in a number of POW
Camps for 1,228 days, and was liberated from a camp in Mukden,
Manchuria on August 15, 1945. He went on to serve as Louisianna State
Senator from 1964 to 1980.
He endured the unendurable, he survived the unsurvivable, he saw the worst of mans worst enemy, Man.
Amongst other things, Jesse was president of the Mayors Armed Forces Committee, Lake Charles, LA. And I was a member. I have listened to many a remembrance of those times. Jesse was not like most of us, and would rather not talk about it. He did... but only to those he thought worthy. I'm proud to be in that number.
Jesse was a friend of mine
Jesse was sitting next to my wife when I received this award
The following essay, now a classic, was written by an 11-year old schoolboy after an Air Force pilot visited the boy's classroom and made a talk about Air Force careers and flying:
WHY I WANT TO BE A PILOT
When I grow up I want to be a pilot because it's a fun job and easy to do.
That's why there are so many pilots flying around these days. Pilots don't need much school; they just have to learn to read numbers so they can read instruments. I guess they should be able to read road maps too, so that they can find there way home if they get lost. Pilots should be brave so they won't get scared if it's foggy and they can't see, or if a wing or motor falls off, they should stay calm so they'll know what to do. Pilots have to have good eyes to see through clouds and they can't be afraid of lightning or thunder because they are much closer to them than we are. The money pilots make is another thing I like. They make more money than they know what to do with. This is because most people think that plane flying is dangerous, except pilots don't because they know how easy it is. I hope I don't get airsick because I get carsick and if I get airsick, I couldn't be a pilot and then I would have to go to work.
The good ole days, ah, don't you remember..... Supper was always on the table at 6 PM, Sunday was rice and gravy, rump roast, cheese balls, Wilted Lettuce salad, cornbread and that's just the eats.
Remember when Grandma Watson would wring a chickens neck with a quick flick of the wrist.
Reunions were still on Big Creek, usually at Beverly's camp, now its at Edwins camp right up the creek. Big Creek is still little and still clear water. Some things change real slow, and thats good.
Red Wagons were name'd "Radio Flyer", dogs were named Pat and Mike. A BB gun was what you got at 10 years old. "shoot your eye out".... Red Rider lever action just like in "A Christmas Story".
The grammar school was next to the post office and that was across the street from the Fire station and Mayors office. The Star theater. Where we all went for the Saturday movies. The serial where, at the end of last weeks episode, the star was in a real tight situation and surely died. But..... didn't. Seems like they left out a 2 second clip where Roy, Gene, Tex, Johnny Mac, Rex, Alan Rocky, Smiley got out at the last second. Whew.... had me scared all week.
Grandma held court on the front screened porch shelling peas and telling stories.
Aunt Erin taught 5th grade. If you happened in her class you were in for a rough year. I think we have two family that suffered that.
Saturday at the Movies: We had our own special seats, third row from the front, first three seats. Mama and Daddy sat in the back where adults sat. In fact, Daddy's appendix ruptured while in there. We had to sit in the movie at night until someone, either Erin or Sugar came and got us to go spend the night.
Gas was 19 cents a gallon, coal oil was a nickle and you could rent a fishing boat for a quarter. Cars were all GM, Ford, Chrysler with an occasional Nash, Hudson or Lasalle thrown in.
The sound the tires of the car made driving over the Jackson Street bridge? Rrrrrrrrrrr thump rrrrrrrrrrr thump rrrrrrrrr. In the late 40’s, I think it was, when the water was nearly as high as the bottom of the bridge. And don’t ya’ll remember the year it snowed so much .. late 40’s again.
Kids could walk home from school without fear of someone doing something bad. Kids went out to play in the summertime morning and came back for supper...jus don't be late. And, without being obvious, kids actually played outside the house.
