T-Bob Taylor tells this intriguing tale about a legendary college football coach:
Early Friday morning, I was driving to Baton Rouge Clinic to deal with a health care issue and had my car radio on KBRH during its "All Blues Friday" broadcast.
Our neighbors to the west have mastered the art of barbecuing to the point where no trip to Texas is complete without a visit to some smoky little joint, noisy with the sound of beef brisket being chopped.
Dear Smiley: After reading all the raccoon stories, I have one my mom in heaven might finally get a kick out of me mentioning.
Tony Falterman, of Napoleonville, says that when he was sheriff of Assumption Parish, "three men were reported missing after leaving Shell Beach on Lake Verret in a bateau.
Our readers are keeping wildlife stories rolling in. While most raccoon tales feature them as an entree, Diane T. Martin, of Morgan City, reminds us what smart critters they are:
That's one of the classic headlines my LSU classmate Leroy Colter recalls from the collection of Nick Plasterer, a former newspaperman who taught in the LSU School of Journalism (aka the J-School).
Our series on wildlife dining brought this recollection from Toxie Craft, of Lakeland:
Winding up our Carnival stories, Mary Pramuk, of Baton Rouge, offers this account of a culinary adventure:
Dear Smiley: The Ash Wednesday observance reminded me of the story about the family that had their young child with them during the service where they received ashes.
There's something about the solemn Lenten season that moves my readers to get even sillier.
While my readers are mostly youthful hipsters, it has come to my attention that those in a different demographic also read the column.
J.R. Clary Jr., of Baton Rouge, says stories of TV and movie cowboys' personal appearances "remind me of the tale told by Jay Thomas, veteran comedic actor from 'Murphy Brown' and 'Cheers.'
Patricia Newman contributes to our series on meeting local folks on trips:
Nobey Benoit adds to our "Critters for Dinner" file:
Dear Smiley: Over the years, my husband and I have usually managed to decode the cute but confusing gender signs on restaurant restroom doors (Buoys and Gulls, Laddies and Lassies, etc.), but every so often we get stumped.
With crawfish season in full swing, this cautionary tale from Jim Mestayer, of Baton Rouge, seems most appropriate:
Chakula cha Jua, of New Orleans, says, "Black History Month always reminds me of a funny incident that happened some years ago when I worked as drama director for a Central City after-school program in New Orleans.
Mike Gauthier tells how a bartender taught him banking:
"It's no secret to any Louisianian that our economy could stand major shots in the arm," says Perry A. Snyder, of Baton Rouge.
Paul Major, of Livonia, comes up with a way to turn Baton Rouge's lemon of a new downtown library into tasty lemonade:
Dear Smiley: I read Ray Schell's story about his security clearance when he was an ambulance driver at a nuclear facility in New Mexico.
Bob Woods, of Mandeville, says, "When I was growing up, on Springfield Lane off Scenic Highway in Baton Rouge, we had a Morning Advocate deliveryman named Bud Rankin — great guy. He drove a Jeep station wagon with wooden sides.
As might be expected, Carnival stories are rolling in.
Mention of Piccadilly Cafeterias' 75th anniversary caused Terry Maderson to recall how important the original Dilly in downtown Baton Rouge was to impoverished, hungry LSU students:
Bob Cisco tells of an incident bringing home the point that folks of a certain age are telling stories to people of other generations who have no idea what the storyteller is talking about:
My recent tale of meeting strangers in a New Orleans restaurant and briefing them on local food and fun brought this response:
With Carnival coming so soon after The Great Dome Robbery, we can expect the NFL to be a major subject at parades.
Lillian Miller, our holiday poet, penned this ode to Valentine's Day:
There's really no place quite like this part of the world during Carnival season.
Back when Lady Katherine was single and living in New Orleans, I visited her on weekends. We went out for dinner one wintry Friday, in the kind of weather the tourism folks don't tell you about.
With Valentine's Day fast approaching, our thoughts turn to love, flowers and candy.
Ann Purnell Collom, of Kenner, tells of a surprise dinner:
I was surfing Twitter on Monday to see what folks had to say about the Sunday evening travesty in Atlanta and the New Orleans mega-party, and came across this exchange, which made my day.
I like children (from a distance, of course), and one of the things I enjoy most is their way to taking things literally.
Wayne Smith, of Covington, tells of a thoughtful attorney:
Frances Pickering Billeaud says, "My dad, Jack Pickering, was with Desi Arnaz’s band (before the 'I Love Lucy' show), and the band was on tour a good part of many years.
Doing a reader-driven column as long as I have means that, sadly, you lose favorite contributors along the way.
You might have noticed that men and women have differing attitudes about shoes.
Jo Ann Paulin, of Metairie, tells a story that has me craving boiled crabs (actually, the MEAT from boiled crabs, not the other stuff):
A while back we reported on a "camo wedding," where the wedding party (including the bride) was dressed in camouflage clothing, and decorations were around a hunting theme.
Keith Horcasitas feels your pain and wants to offer solace:
Frank Fronczek, of Baton Rouge, who on Tuesday nominated me for Louisiana's poet laureate, has graciously accepted my decision to decline his nomination:
Comments from outraged Saints fans about proposed boycotts of the tainted Super Bowl brings up the question of what to do instead.
Robert Cabes, a Lafayette attorney, says a reader's story about proper dress for a court appearance reminded him of his visit to the Allen Parish courthouse in Oberlin to argue a motion:
Frank Fronczek, of Baton Rouge, makes me an offer I CAN refuse:
The phone callers who invade your privacy in an effort to sell you stuff (when everyone knows you should only sell stuff through ads in The Advocate) are reaching new depths of deception: