The LRHS 1950 Class took a cruise with friends and other classmates (1948,
1949, 1951, 1952) on September 8 - 16 in the Caribbean. We boarded on a bus
in front on the Wagonlit Traveled Agent, with Carma and Bud our
travel agents and 38 classmates/spouses/friends at 5:30 am. The other
classmates we would meet in New Orleans.
We loaded 4 ice chest, (filled
with water, cold drinks, blooded mary mix, all trimmings), 2 pots of coffee,
5 dozen hot do nuts and 5 doz. hot cinnamon rolls, cookies, candies, and
enough snacks for a months trip. Everyone was so excited we could not nap."
Lots of talking". Just about the time we settled down to maybe take a nap,
Vicksburg, Mississippi appeared.
Now the Isle of Capri Gambling Boat was our lunch and pleasure time (1 1/2
hours). Oley Rooker our leader had declared anyone late getting to the bus
would be fined $5.00. You can bettcha not a single person was late. Of
course some were saved from donating more money to the Mississippi Road and
Educations program. ( For those who do not know: Mississippi dedicates all
gambling tax to the Mississippi Road/Education Fund).
We boarded again and
the next stop would be New Orleans AvePark Hotel in the Garden District on
St. Charles Ave, New Orleans.
We arrived at the Big Easy at 5:30 PM on time,
and was greeted by hugs and kisses from David and Pat Powell, Tom and Alice
Lane. (Lanes' had drove and the Powells', by airplane, from Houston, Texas)
They arrived just in time for us to debark from the bus in front of the
Hotel. They were standing at the door of our bus, helping us off. What a
surprise to see a face we knew in New Orleans. They were all dressed up in
their bib and tucker with a grin from ear to ear. They were acting as
Ambassadors to the LRHS group. You should have seen the expression on the Hotel personal
faces. Since we had all pre-registered, Carma gave us our key to our rooms and we
grabbed our suitcases and returned within the hour for a trip on the Street
Car named Desire to the French Quarters.
Now some of us had an adventure: Some of us did not know which way was the
French Quarters and caught the street car going West. This is going to the
New Orleans Zoo opposite of the French Quarters. The Street Car electricity
decided not to work. They sent a bus to rescue the lost souls and returned
them to the Hotel just in time to see the Arkansas Football Game. They had
not eaten nor seen the French Quarters or the Zoo. They were all laughing,
memories of past street cars that had broke down. Now this is all to
familiar from the good old days and it really brought back stories.
Remember when so-and so pulled the trolley and the conductor was
saying !!!@@@%%%^^&&**. The clang, clang and the sparks flew.
The difference was they got a ride. In the old days we walked and did not
get a refund from our token. The important thing was to get back to
calling the hogs. Of course this was delayed 2 hours because of rain and
lightning. They never made it to the French Quarters.
Now the others took the right car (East) to the French Quarters and had a
Good Ole French Cooking good Food. A little small restaurant down from the
House of Blues called Star Steak and Seafood. It will, maybe seat 25 people.
We were 14. The Owner was a Arkansas Fan and the waitress was from North
Little Rock. Can I tell you, we were in great Company. No reservation but
we were seated. Love those Razorback fans. Because of the two hour delay we
were back at the Hotel hollering WooooPigSOOOOOO in plenty of time. We will
not discuss the ending of the game but the lobby was 52 classmates calling
the Hogs.
Waken up to a perfect day for sailing, after a hearty breakfast at the
Trolley Cafe we boarded our bus for the ship Inspiration. At the St. Julia
Dock was this monster. Now I can tell you this was the biggest thing I have
ever seen. It was as big as the Titanic, maybe bigger.
Our bus pulled in to the dock next to the ship and behold, I spotted three
Good Looking Fluffies (ladies) waving Mardi Gras Beads. As we got off the
bus we were laid with garlands of Mardi Gras Beads, a hug and Kiss. Now tell
me this was not worth the trip seeing the three Baton Rouge Friends. Of
course they joined us for the trip.
Yep, we were in time for lunch. Now for the next few days we were back in the 10th Grade, just came over
from Junior High School and could not find any of our Class rooms, much less
our home room. We finally found our home for the next seven days and headed
for the Lido dinning room, Great Food!.
Then where is that top deck. We have got to say goodbye to New Orleans.
Everyone said go to the top. Oh yes, find that top deck, to say goodbye to
New Orleans. This is not easy. Some of us made it, especially the men for
the deck with the topless bathing. WOW!! They really had one or two or
three or maybe four sunning themselves. Well, I want get into comments on
this scene but I can tell you it does not take OLE men much to be
entertained. Really !!!! David, John, Milton, Oley , Skip, Charlie, Earl, Al, Joe, Freddie, Ed, Shug,
Tom, Fred, Jack, Nash, Billy, Bill and did I say David, again, again
and again???
This is the time to Thank the Carnival Cruise Line and the Wagonlit Travel
Agent for all the Champagne, Candy and Chocolate covered Strawberries in
our rooms when we arrived. We really felt we (Dignitaries, Movies stars,
Rock Stars,) were really special. For Dinner that night more Champagne
that graced our table at Dinner. The lovely room we had for our private
party, with and open bar. The lovely rooms we lived in for a week. The
service was excellent whether it be in the room, the pot of coffee in the
morning, the dinning room , the Night shows we saw, Gift Shop Girls (Thanks
to Milton influence), all personnel of the ship and Carma at the travel
Agent.. The Fluffies, Faye Gaspard, Sherry Walker and Pat Isgitt from Baton
Rouge, Louisiana for the Mardi Gras Beads. They stood in 102 degrees hot
(I mean New Orleans humid hot) waiting for our bus to get to the dock.
They greeted these strange LRHS (remember Estrouma High School in Baton
Rouge) enemies of past years with a Mardi Gras Greeting.
On Tuesday, September 11, 2001 we came to lunch and Oley and Charlie Case lead us in singing God Bless America. We had not heard anyone sing this at that time. No one ask us to stand, we automatic stood and grew two inches because we were proud to be Americans. All the service stopped in the dinning room and all over the ships dinning room people stood. They did not know us and we did not know them. It did not matter we sung a prayer for those who lost their lives. It was a bonding of souls. We were as one. The people that would not be with us but looking down on us from that beautiful sky. We knew they were welcomed by another group of people from 1941.
To tell each day another story is tooooo much, so--- We danced at the Tiger Rec Hall, laughed at the line dancers, laughed at the race horse owners and jockeys, hollered at Bingo and won (David Powell) $250.00, laughed at the winning and loosing of the Casino, Saw the Shows, stayed up to 12 midnight sometimes, Our escort service for the single ladies was excellent. Each lady was given special attention by our gentlemen . They came to your room and escorted you to the days event. They made you feel special because you were special. A big Thank You, John Moore and Milton Hollimon, from all the single ladies. We love you both. Yes we, got dressed up like adults a couple nights, we visited with each other, relived old stories, played football, sang old songs, Honored Birthdays and Anniversary, had a private party with more Mardi Gras Beads thrown at us to the tune of Saints go Marching In, I wonder what happen to ???, Got together in different rooms and visited, went on tours at the different stops together, we always knew some one was there to hug. We knew, that we were never a lone (unless you wished), we ate together
as a family. When tragic struck we were with family, our LRHS family.
One last story -- going home. Freda will kill me if I do not tell this.
As we were to eat at 1:15 PM at the famous "Dinner Bell" in Mississippi, a
strange thing happened. Everything was going great concerning the time. In
fact, time was getting short but we were doing fine, since we were a
little late getting off the ship (security was really tight).
In fact several
of us needed a comfort stop but we sent them to the back of the bus. (This
is really adventure in balance). Now we turned off the interstate for 5th
street at McComb, Mississippi. I in my wisdom was directing the driver of
the bus known as Joe.
Well, sure enough things have changed since I was
there and we are lost. A couple of turns to left and right and( we) Joe and
I, mostly me cannot remember which is East nor West. I saw Joe turn into
this driveway that said "Sallyport". I said "Joe, that is a jail". Now for
people who have not been in jail, a "Sallyport" is a room with bars, that
you have to go through to get (processed) booked into Jail. Officers lock
their guns in a lock box, then proceed into another room with bars, lock
the prisoner with handcuffs to a long bar and proceed with their paper
booking work. You are getting this picture. A bus load of Tigers going to
jail in Mississippi.
Now, Joe said he would back out of the driveway of the
Sallyport and wait for me in the parking lot in the back of the jail.. I
would go into the Jail House and get directions to the "Dinner Bell". I
went to the front of the building walked into the jailhouse and met
a officer. I explained to this officer about being lost. He explained I
was about 4 blocks from the "Dinner Bell". I ask the officer, since the
bus is in the back parking lot, could I just come through the building out
the back door. The officer was kind and gracious and said yes.
As we exit
the back door, NO BUS. Now the officer turned into a screaming maniac -- I
THOUGHT YOU SAID THERE WAS A BUS HERE,!,,!,. WHO ARE YOU!!. I could see
the handcuffs coming out of his pocket and ME being introduced to his brand
new "SallyPort". About that time, the officer and I, saw as we turned
towards the front of the building, in the street was the bus, driven by our
friendly driver named, Joe and 41 laughing Tigers. The bus had gone around
the block while I was inside and came to the front of the building,
thinking I would come out the front door.
The friendly officer did not
think it funny. I tried to explain that I did not know he was going to the
front of the building. As usual the more you explain, the worse it sounds.
As we went through the jail again, back to the front of the building,
opening the front door, the officer said, "How did you people from Arkansas
ever find McComb? I replied, it was not easy? ------ We found the "Dinner
Bell" which was never lost.
I thought I would add what Charlie Case said to
me at the dinner table, "Brooks, you are not good at directions but you know
where the good food can be found". All and all everyone is ready for another
trip next year. --- How about ALASKA??????