Passing Pleasing People...part 1

People I met in Louisiana

My all time favorite...the cab driver named Carl who lost his wife 3 months ago and is raising a 17 year old daughter...we sat in his cab ( my mother-in-law (Christine) and David's auntie (Doris)...first thing out Christine.s mouth...you.ll need to turn that rap music down..I just can't stand all that African beat beat beat in the music....Carl promptly turned the volume down and apologized..."sorry" he said. "I didn.t get to church this Sunday, had to work, so my pastor records his sermons and I listen as I work". Love me some Carl....then Doris accused him of driving the cab slow to run the meter up...Carl explained to these white women that it didn.t matter what speed he drove they would only be charged the actual miles...Love me some Carl....he talked a little about Jesus, his pastor, his daughter, softened these old ladies up a little but they still tried to stiff him on the tip...I fixed him up..he gave me his card and said he would be honored to pick us back up after we toured the museum...it was his cell number and he came back for us...

Next the museum volunteer at R.W. Norten's ...he greeted us at the door, gave us our maps, read the rules about no touching, no flash photography, and no gum chewing....Christine promtly told him she could.t chew gum because it stuck to her partial....Now this dude was probably 90 years old....He looked at her and said TMI....we exploded knuckles and did a dance.....he was probably the coolest dude...

Then there were the bingo ladies...love the bingo ladies....we played with other wives and mothers of fishermen Thursday morning...just a

little time filler, get together pastries, coffee and fellowship...as we are playing (about 50 of us) we are not winning.Christine says, I don,t think they are really binging..they need to check their cards....she's won 3 times....I don't think she cleared her card...I stand up between games...announce that my mother-in-law has not bingoed yet and for the love of all that is holy could they just let her bingo...the heavens parted, angels sang...Christine bingoed...Yeah..right?....well noooo..she didn.t want to bingo that time and win that beautiful candle and holder...she wanted the light up screwdriver...good golly...then Doris did not bingo...stood up made the announcement again...low and behold Doris bingoed...angels are singing.....nooooooo...it.s a flashlight....she wanted the stadium chair.....I need a drink....

Oh...and the waitress in the bar at the Hilton...she was so cool...she also worked our banquet....she helped Doris and Christine collect all the sweet and low their pockets would carry that night..never batted an eye...kept dropping it off to them like it was some covert operation...she was a real sweetie...said her Grandma and auntie were just like them only black..we both laughed til we were sick...