This example of the power of prayer comes from Richard Fossey, of Baton Rouge:
“When my family purchased a cabin on Lake Mary, an oxbow lake in southwestern Mississippi, we received conflicting accounts about whether the lake is a good place to fish.
“My grandchildren decided to test the waters, fishing off the pier using minnows for bait.
“They fished for a long time without a single bite. One of my grandkids, a student at Saint George’s Catholic Elementary School, invoked the help of the Almighty: ‘Please, God, send us some fish.’
“A few minutes later, the kids began catching garfish, not what they wanted. A second prayer went up: ‘Please, God, send us a fish that is not a gar.’
“Almost instantly, one of the children reeled in a gasper goo, another fish they didn’t want.
“Together they prayed a third time: ‘Please, God, send us some fish we can eat.’
“After that, they told me, they began catching catfish, sac-á-lait, and bass. That is their story, and they’re sticking to it. It must be true, because I’ve never known a Catholic school kid to tell a lie.”
Faint praise
Speaking of Catholic school kids:
“Back in the late 1960s,” says Joe Hinckley, “I always hated the parent-teacher night! Catholic High School of Baton Rouge would invite the parents to spend the evening in each class with our teachers. The parent would sit in their son’s desk, so the teacher would know who the student belonged to.
“It didn’t go very well! Every one of my teachers kept my mother after class and complained about me!
“The only teacher who didn’t complain was Brother Eldon Crifasi, who told my mother I had ‘potential!’
“Happy 101st, Brother Eldon!”
Bland filé?
Michael Puyau says, “The discussions of filé expiration dates got me thinking.
“I would imagine it might just lose some of its flavor over time. That’s what happens to pills eventually beyond their expiration dates.”
The march of time
Algie Petrere, of Central, gives us this unwelcome news:
“I just realized that 1970 and 2022 are as far apart as 1970 and 1918.
“I’m just going to need a minute…”
The Village lives!
On Monday, during a nostalgia attack, I lamented former Baton Rouge eating places I missed, and listed Giamanco’s, Sabin’s, and The Village.
Reading it in print, I asked myself, “What in the world is wrong with you?”
Baton Rouge has two “Little Village” locations, and the Wayne Stabler folks have done a fine job replicating some of the Distefanos’ signature dishes, including the legendary cheese bread and the cannelloni.
My mistake is especially ironic because the Little Village on Third Street is only a few blocks from our house, and is one of our favorite dinner sites.
There, how’s that for a mea culpa?
Special People Dept.
— Gary and Glenda Parks, of Baton Rouge, celebrate their 60th anniversary Thursday May 25. Their romance dates from the fourth grade, at a weekend event held by the 4-H Clubs of St. Charles Parish.
— Barry and Marie Allen, of Baton Rouge, celebrate 55 years of marriage Thursday, May 25.
Nasty lobsters!
Brot Capers, of Baton Rouge, says, “Louisiana seafood stories reminded me:
“I was up north (I think Erie, Pennsylvania) at a factory inspecting equipment. It was time for lunch and we were discussing where to eat.
“One of the Yankees spoke up: ‘I was in Texas last week and at lunch time someone suggested the Catfish House. Can you believe it? They eat catfish.’
“He knew I was from Louisiana, and felt embarrassed. He asked, ‘Do you eat catfish?’
“I responded, ‘Yes, what is wrong with catfish?’
“He said, ‘Catfish are bottom feeders.’
“So I asked him, ‘Do you eat lobster?’
“When he said yes, My response was, ‘Do you know what lobsters eat? Dead catfish.”
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