In late summer of 1958, we drove down to Lake Charles, La. Chennault AFB was a SAC base. The ride had to be somewhat hectic with 2 little girls and an infant. In route, we stopped in Tuscaloosa, Alabama for the night. We usually tried to stop at places that had a restaurant close by. Kath, this is the place that you made the big hit with the owners. He was the coach for the Crimson Tide - Bear Bryant. For the uninformed, we checked in the motel and went to eat late in the evening. There were only a few people there. When our dinners were served, the chef had put parsley on our plates for decoration and Kathi in her 3 year old voice said, "Someone put grass on my plate, me don't like grass!" There was a pregnant silence then customers started to giggle. When we were leaving, the owner came out and asked what little girl didn't like grass? We were somewhat embarrassed but he made things easy for us, walking back to our room with you on his shoulders.
Lake Charles was so different from New Jersey. We weren't used to the bugs, roaches, snakes, water bugs, etc. and the heat! When we first arrived, the base provided a temporary rental. Dad went to the Red Cross to borrow money until our finances got straightened out in two weeks time. Unfortunately, the R.C. started hassling us for the $100 even though they were agreeable for the time limit. Since that experience, we always looked the R.C. with a jaundiced eye. Within our agreed time, we repaid the loan and and rented a 2-bedroom house about a mile from the base.
Our first friends were Joan & Bob Stone and Larry & Mary Homan who lived next door. Mary and I would plan a lot of things together as she had 3 little girls who were pretty much the same age as you. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The telephone number assigned to me must have belonged to a fish market before as one day I received a call from a restaurant ordering a list of seafood/fish and I started to interrupt like "wrong number" and he said something to the effect that I could talk when he finished......I did...he hung up! As Dad was still in food service, Mary and I got to know all of the butchers and guys in the commissary so they would point out the better cuts of meat and lower the price somewhat at check out which was great on our limited income. Dad was a Staff Sargent and Larry was an Airman 1st Class. Another time, we were on our way to the base in Mary's Volkswagen when the gas pedal got stuck and we whizzed through the base gate with the Air Police just looking at us. Funny the things you remember.
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You met Bear Bryant? That makes you something of a celebrity in the South. LOL
Yeah, he and his wife appeared to be nice folks. I always wanted Kath to write him and remind him of that evening but I don't think she ever did.
I always loved Kathi's "grass" story. I can't really tell if I remember it or if I've just heard it enough that it seems like I do. :) Had to laugh about you speeding past the gate. These days, they would have shot you and asked questions later. LOL I barely remember LA but it does seem like I can still feel how hot and humid it was.
I remember the big green frogs I used to catch and bring into the house much to your horror. Did I say that in another comment about your blog? Weird, but I remember quite a bit about living in Louisiana- maybe because that's where we got Louie, and I was so crazy about him. I also remember getting in trouble a LOT.
When I went to the U.S., I did not visit Louisiana. Now I'm rent apartments Buenos Aires , but if you recommend this place I can go someday.
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