Dear Smiley: In regard to stories about instructions included with new appliances to protect stupid people, here is why those instructions are included. (Names have been withheld to protect the stupid.)
I must be in an especially silly mood, because this story had me laughing so loud I scared the cat.
"Speaking of liquor stories," says Richard Carter, "when I graduated from high school in 1963, my buddies and I decided to take a trip to Florida to celebrate.
As you might have noticed, we've been telling stories about how old kids imagine us to be. Some are just kinda scary:
Remembering my 6-year-old daughter's dismay when her long-awaited baby sister turned out to be a baby brother, Mike Baldwin's story has a special significance for me:
Lynnette Molin, of Metairie, tells an "advances in technology" story:
Dear Smiley: Reading about the Catholic church reminded me of an incident in the ’50s.
Patrick Howard, of Zachary, tells this timely tale:
Years ago I was writing about Thanksgiving when I realized what I was most thankful for was my little family.
Mike Manes, of New Iberia, recalls the odes to Cajuns penned by the late Bob Hamm, of Lafayette.
You don't have to be around children too long before you realize they have a gift for deflating the adults around them. For example:
Bill Bankhead, of Baton Rouge, says stories about Catholic services triggered this memory:
Dear Smiley: Two "priest" stories:
George Kreider has what can be termed an "only in Louisiana" story:
Carroll Trosclair and Bernie Cleary, veteran journalists in New Orleans with United Press International (a competitor to The Associated Press back in the days of wire service wars), still enjoy playing with words.
As the song goes, "Don't tell me I've nothing to do …"
Around this time of year, my Well-Deserved Vacation is coming up, usually at Bubba's Exxon, Motel & Bait Shop in Back Brusly.
I love stories about the way kids view the world:
Dear Smiley: Regarding your vast audience's response to your version of "Kids Say the Darnedest Things” (as Art Linkletter used to say), I’d like to submit this dialogue I recently had with my 6-year-old granddaughter Molly, known for her "Mollyisms:"
Richard Fossey, of Baton Rouge, tells of a vehicle image problem:
Jay, of Baton Rouge, says, "While riding my bicycle through our subdivision, I noticed a small crowd of kids and adults on the side of the street.
On Monday, Sondra, objecting to "utilize" instead of "use," offered advice I heard from all my LSU journalism profs: "Don't use a thousand-dollar word when a fifty-cent word will do."
Patrick J. Hogan, of Covington, says, "With all the talk about lengths of marriages, here is my two bits:
Tim Palmer, of Lafayette, offers this "tell it like it is" story:
Dear Smiley: I checked Wednesday morning, and no one was talking politics, so I will start the ball rolling.
One of the effects of our isolations due to COVID-19 involves a somewhat lax attention to house cleaning.
It's been an especially divisive election, but Bo Bienvenu, of Prairieville, brings up something we can all agree on:
Bill Huey indulges in some wishful thinking:
Millie Matherne, of Gonzales, discusses the impact of a dedicated teacher:
Martin Hugh-Jones, professor emeritus in the College of the Coast & Environment (in LSU's Department of Environmental Sciences) is also a world-class adventurer:
Dear Smiley: I agree with the concern expressed by your readers about the abuse of "like" in contemporary speech.
Our discussion of longevity of appliances led Richard Harris, of Baton Rouge, to share this story of a beloved pot:
Amy Drago addresses an all too timely issue:
"Can you take another 'mispronounced name' story?" asks Nolen J. LeBlanc Sr., of Harahan:
Joan Felder, of LaPlace, offers "Wisdom from a child's mouth:
As a gumbo purist, I was somewhat shocked by T.W.'s note:
Dear Smiley: My dog Boudreaux is beautiful; a mixed-breed with thick brown, black, and white fur.
Phil Ragusa says, "Years ago I went to a dermatologist to have a small growth removed. After removing it, he said to call him Friday — he was going to have it biopsied! That shook me up.
Jolie Bonck, of New Orleans, says, "This happened when my now 31-year-old daughter was about 2 or 3 years old.
Perry A. Snyder, of Baton Rouge, says, "En route to 'Pre-school 3' (whatever happened to 'kindergarten?'), grandson Harrison asked, 'Mom, are we going to have a hurricane this week?'
Just when I think I've lamented enough about this terrible year, along comes another story:
James R. "J.R." Clary Jr., of Baton Rouge, has this "hard times" story:
Dear Smiley: Regarding your mention of being on oxygen due to COPD:
As readers of this column no doubt know, my motto is "Always look on the bright side of life." But multiple disasters in 2020 have made it increasingly difficult to find a bright side. For instance:
Maybe it's the cooler weather, but readers keep telling food stories. I hope the folks at The Advocate's award-winning Food section don't mind us nudging in on their territory:
The arrival of cooler days and nights brings thoughts of gumbo, and the seasonal controversy about this divisive issue:
Charlie Anderson says, "Some years ago, I was manager of a state Health Department program that enforced regulations of institutions.
I can't help it. I've developed a fondness for all those stories about "things kids say," and can't get enough of them. For instance, here's one from Faye Hoffman Talbot, of Clinton:
Dear Smiley: I had an interesting weekend three weeks ago.
Kristina L. Posey adds to our series, "Why We Love Our Grandchildren":
Allow me to explain why I get irritated when folks reject wearing masks during the COVID-19 pandemic: