THE HEALING PROCESS

The very young man, with his shoulders back and his chest sticking out front, walks down the long airport concourse. Dressed in his military drab green uniform with his starched shirt and tie is looking for his departure gate. He never liked being late and always wanted to know ahead of time where he needed to be and when. He was way ahead of time for his departure flight that would take him home. So after finding his departure gate he began looking for what he really needed, a bar where he could have a very quite drink or a few and reflect on his past year or so of his life. He knew he was not of age to drink but was willing to gamble that it might not make any difference, with his uniform, to the server. He sits on the high stool and waits to be acknowledged. It doesn’t take long before the waiter comes to him and ask, “May I help you Sir ?” In his kindest voice he says, “Can I have a beer please?” “What kind of beer and do you have an ID, Please?” Miller Lite please and I do have an ID but to be honest, I’m not 21.” So the waiter ask him if he is just getting back from Vietnam because he notices the campaign ribbons on his uniform? Yes I was there for 10 months was the young mans response. The waiter smiles, says he will get his beer, just don’t cause him any trouble and forget about the ID.

Before his beer gets to him he feels a tap on his shoulder and he slowly turns to face a middle aged woman with a scorn on her face. “Did I hear you say you are just coming back from Vietnam, she asks?” Yes ma'm, that’s right he responds. She then spits in his face and slaps him across his cheek as hard as she can. The young man turns back towards the bar and takes a long drink of his beer. Another tap hits his shoulder and again he turns toward the woman. “Don’t you dare turn your back to me. How dare you, you child murderer.” She says. And again spits into his face. And as her hand goes up to again make contact with his face, he sees , at the corner of his eye, a black hand grab her wrist, and he hears these words so plainly, “You insult this fine young man once more and I will personally punch you out.” The man holding her wrist looks very stern and willing to deliver what he has promised. And also says, “I have a lot of money and quite a few lawyers to fight you on this matter.” The woman pulls her arm away from the mans grip and storms out cussing under her breath.

May I buy you a drink the black man says? No thank you I’m fine, says the young soldier. But I insist says the man, as he calls the waiter over, he says “Give this gentleman what ever he wishes for as long as he wishes,” and he puts $300,00 on the bar. “Sir this is not necessary, I appreciate it very much and thank you but I can get it from here.” “Thank me, THANK ME,” he said, “but no sir, thank you, thank you for all that you have done for me.” And he turns and walks out of the bar.

T hat man was none other then Sammy Davis Jr. And that solider was none other then ME.

True Story by Me,
Peter

FAVORITES

OK, I want to know what is ya’lls favorites. This is hard for me to answer but I’ll try. But I also want to know what is ya’lls favorites or is any of these some of ya'lls favorites also ??

Favorite movies:
Some of mine are:
“Planet of the apes”
“Star Wars”
“Harry Potter”
“Once Upon a Time in the West”
“Some Where in Time”
“The Time Machine”
“The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly”
“Titanic” (The newer one), (also love the music in this movie)
“King Kong” (All of them, but especially the one with Jessica Lang)
And there are many others, but that’s all for now.

Favorite Books:
Some of mine are:
“The Time Machine”
“The Hobbit” (My number 1 favorite)
“Treasure Island”
“Lord of the Ring” (Very Hard To Read!!!)

Favorite Recording Artist:
#1= Bob Dylan ( I truly believe this man is the most influential entertainer in the last at least 40 years.)

Dr. John
Van Morrison
Fats Domino
Bo Diddley
The Almond Brothers
Eric Clapton
The Band
The Traveling Wilburys
Roy Orbison
Janis Joplin
Bob Marley
Too Many to List Them All, But it’s a beginning.

Let me know if you ya’ll like any of these and add ya’lls own if you like. If you don’t know any of these just ask I shall try to give you an answer.

P.S. Lilly did you ever find, receive or have you read “The Time Machine ??”

P.S.S. Ronnie did YOU ever find, receive or listen to the “Ma Num Ma Num” song ??

That’s all for now. Hoping to hear from ya’ll soon.

L-U-A,
Peter

PICTURE PERFECT

I don’t think the three younger girls would remember “The Studio and Record Shop.” But I know the rest of us sure do because like myself and the “Older Ones” I think we all had our turns working there.

I started working for Daddy when I was 13 at my insistence of doing so. But that’s not exactly what this blog is going to be about. Not our work any way. But I remember Daddy working on color pictures. This was a time before color film. So how did he do color pictures. Daddy would sit down and actually color pictures by hand. Using what I believe to be oils like a painter/artist would use. He would take cotton balls and Q-tips and actually hand painted his pictures. He was amazing. I have asked many other photographers about this and I have not ever found or heard of any one else who ever did this but our Daddy. When ever I would walk into some ones home I would always look at their pictures that were displayed and I could always and I mean 100% of the time be able to tell if it was Daddys work or not. His hand painted pictures was flawless. This is one of the most fascinating things I think he did in his life. He was very artistic in many ways but this was to me by far his most professional artistic achievement. I just can’t find enough words or right words to express how good he really was. He did this some times for hours and hours none stop. I’ll never forget how good I felt about him when I watched him do this. This made him that much more amazing to me. He defiantly was truly one of a kind.

I don’t think I have one picture that Daddy colored this was. Do any of you ???

OK, lets here what ya’ll know about this.

L-U-A,
Peter

"DEE DEES TEE GROS BATOU"

HI GANG,

I didn’t realize that “Dee Dees Tee Gros Batou” would stir up so many comments. So I figured it deserved another blog. This blog is for two purposes: One: For a picture of “The Batou.” Every one start looking in all of your old pictures to see if ya'll may have one. I’ll do the same. However, I think that the picture I took and mounted on that piece of wood that I varnished and gave to Daddy is the only one that ever existed. But we may find it like in the back ground of another picture that was taken around the same time. I’ll be looking and I hope ya’ll will too. Another, however, is that I think the picture was offered to me and I turned it down saying it was for Daddy. It could have been thrown away because I didn’t want it at the time. Two: For more stories and adventures of “Dee Dees Tee Gros Batou.” I’ll start it off.

Let me start by saying that I believe that this “Batou” was the one that Daddy kept the longest. I know it’s the one that I had more fishing and shrimping trips in then any other. So here’s the first story which I know ALL of you either remember or heard about. And that’s the story he always blamed on Momma. It’s the story when Momma wanted to go fishing with him and he took her. Not that he agreed to but he had to or play H _ _ L for a long time when he got back. Get the picture ??? (LOL) Daddy backed up the “Batou” into the water and told Momma to keep her foot on the brake. YEA RIGHT, like she knew what a brake pedal was. I gave Momma her first driving lesson and believe me she had no idea what the difference was between the brake or the accelerator pedal. So before he could get back to the car after launching the “Batou” the car had backed up into the water and disappeared underwater. Ha Ha Ha Ha. But that wasn’t the funniest part. The “Batou” was just floating there still attached to the trailer but you could not see the trailer or the car. One of his fishing buddies came by who was returning from fishing and saw the “Batou” just floating there away from the bank and he asked Daddy, “Mai’ Frrrddie you need some hlp ??? You want me to bring yo both back to shore ?” Daddy responded by saying, “Mai’ non that’s alright I gottit ancored down REAL good.” Ha Ha Ha Ha, LOL,LOL,LOL,LOL. And he told me this without as much as cracking a smile, which made it that much funnier. GOD, I laughed rolling on the ground till I cried and cried with laughter. Daddy was really one
H _ _ L of a funny man. I’m crying right now just trying to blob this. I’m getting my key board all wet.

Hope ya’ll like this one.
Later, I have to go finish laughing. (LOL,LOL,LOL)

Peter