Our stories of Americans abroad brought this recollection from T-Bob Taylor, of Panama City Beach, Florida:
Our readers continue to provide stories about their experiences with the French:
The naming of the Superdome to promote a gambling empire reminds us that this activity was not always welcome in New Orleans (at least not officially).
Dear Smiley: Many Americans say the French are rude, unfriendly and inhospitable. But I have never encountered anything like that in France.
With the disheartening news about so many folks in the U.S. (and especially Louisiana) still in denial about the dangers of COVID-19 and its variants, it's a welcome change to read about people who are doing better, even if they're in another country.
After I suggested either naming the Superdome for a prominent New Orleanian or sticking with the name of a business, I got some reactions:
Martin St. Romain, of Raceland, tells a story about offshore fishing, and how our priorities shift when the big ones start biting:
Daryel Prust, of Baton Rouge, has a Gov. Edwin Edwards memory:
"Speaking of accents," says John LaCarna, of Baton Rouge, "I can remember that back in the '40s and '50s, editorial writers and other omniscient beings predicted the influence of radio and television would water down and finally wash away all regi…
Dear Smiley: Can you stand one more Edwin Edwards story?
“The Thursday story about Edwin Edwards on the white horse," says Michael J. DeFelice, "reminded me of seeing him at Baton Rouge's Kleinpeter Stables, where he boarded a horse.
The deaths of former Govs. Buddy Roemer and Edwin Edwards have been reminding Baton Rouge folks of encounters with them and other governors who stayed around the capital city after their terms ended.
John Currier says, "You know you are from Louisiana when you are watching the Virgin Galactic space launch and all you can think about is how big a pot of crawfish you could cook with that rocket."
Anne Cummings adds her two cents worth to our seminar on five-and-dime stores:
Sometimes parents can sneak something by their kids — for instance, an unflattering nickname. For instance:
Dear Smiley: Speaking of "five-and-dime" stores, the popular Benjamin Franklin five-and-dime was our favorite store when we were kids growing up in Fayetteville, Arkansas, during the ’50s.
My Wednesday mention of the late Anthony Bourdain — chef, TV star, writer, world traveler — reminded me of his memorable encounter with a Waffle House during a visit to Charleston, South Carolina.
As if folks in the Baton Rouge area don't have enough to worry about, now there's a 12-foot python missing from an aquarium in the Mall of Louisiana.
Rick Marshall, of Baton Rouge, this column's unpaid economist, presents this analysis of inflation:
When Fred Taylor, owner of Poor Boy Lloyd's in downtown Baton Rouge, left his native New Iberia, he brought his Cajun accent with him.
Nancy Stich says, "I got quite a chuckle Friday morning reading in your column about the origin of the nickname ‘32,’ referring to the time a gentleman entered a watering hole at 9:32 p.m.
Dear Smiley: My fireworks story — other than the ones where we made bombs from firecrackers and created blast zones. But we shouldn’t mention those.
It's time to revisit a topic we bring up from time to time: song titles.
Today, students, we will be studying the role of computer technology in our daily lives, and marriages. Read carefully. There may be tests later …
Paul Major, of Livonia, says, "In Sunday's financial column in The Advocate, Chuck Jaffe quotes legendary economist Paul Samuelson as saying that proper investing is 'more like watching paint dry or watching grass grow.'
Rhetta Sellers says, "When my oldest daughter was expecting my first grandchild, my friends and I went out to dinner to specifically decide on our grandmother names.
Jim Nichols, of Lafayette, takes us back to the days when hair was such a hot topic they even made a hit play about it.
Dear Smiley: We were a rather large family growing up in Donaldsonville: Mom, Pop, an aunt and nine children.
Michelle Hocke, of Slidell, says, "The fast-approaching July 4 holiday brought to mind the following memory of my sister Laura preparing to pop fireworks.
Don Garland, of Baton Rouge, has a spicy tale:
Minor league baseball has always been a rich source of great stories. Here's one about a team close to home:
Funny how one story will remind others of similar ones. This happened when a reader mentioned Tabasco, and suddenly we're inundated with hot sauce tales:
Wayne Weilbaecher, of Covington, tells this fish story:
Dear Smiley: Stories about leisure fishing reminded me of times spent with my wife and daughter fishing for perch in the canals off Bayou Segnette in Westwego.
"Articles about laid-back fishermen reminded me of a bill fishing trip in Hawaii a long time ago," Tony Falterman, of Napoleonville, says.
Ferd Guttierrez, of Lacombe, adds to our collection of fish stories:
Another story about Louisiana's iconic hot sauce:
Jim Brown, of Baton Rouge, tells of a governor who never lost his taste for down-home cooking:
Jim Carruth, of Lafayette, says the North Baton Rouge Neighborhoods Reunion (July 8, 5 p.m.-9 p.m., old Sherwood Forest Country Club) is the place to hear stories from folks who grew up in the shadow of "the plants." Here's his:
Dear Smiley: During the ‘90s I attended the Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington, D.C.
I've found someone who fishes like I do.
Don Simoneaux, of Washington, offers this "culture clash" story:
This Cajun accent story from Carol Gaignard, of New Iberia, made me laugh out loud and almost spill my Ovaltine:
In the interest of local history, I should note that this column started 42 years ago Friday — on June 4, 1979.
Dear Smiley: While I have a couple of nicknames I answer to (other stories), my father, Henry, had a whistle for each of his five kids — one whistle for the oldest, two for the next, etc.
There's been a noble effort to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but some of my readers have a suggestion for making the vaccination drive even more effective, by eliminating pictures of the process:
David Palmisano, of Marrero, says, "Recent stories about New Orleans accents being confused with Easterners reminds me of this.
There's a chance this story will kick off a "crazy things done by our parents" series — so consider yourselves warned, Mom and Dad …
Lynette Lococo, of Baton Rouge, says her mom, Leona Diez Henderson, "had a post/column on her kitchen counter. Often, she would Scotch tape (Post-Its were not yet invented) notes to herself of things to remember.
Here's an explanation of New Orleans' "Yat" accent, from J.R. Madden, of Baton Rouge.