Driving Point through Dixie with Oklahoma Plates

[frisco-kid]

I'm SO happy for you. I know that you've been looking forward to this for a while, and glad it finally happened for you, my friend. I know first hand that Dan has made a GREAT friend. Can't wait to hear all the stories when you get back.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

James, you have said it all.
We all came out of the wilderness and found each other.

[chilidog]

I'm down here at Dave's right now--got rained out at the Crawfish fest.
Took this picture a litttle while ago. Yo may notice I have grown some.
I'll post some more tommorrow.
James

[chilidog]

The journey goes ever onward--well at leastr down to Nawlins next
Lordy God, Billy Bob but don' it rain some down here in Louisiana. "Member that little pissy rain back there in Chickamauga? Thet was a Chiiihuahua dawg peeing on a flat rock compared to the gully whumpers we been gettin down here.
The First night of the Craw fest was washed out. But guess who showed up?? Ron and his daughter Shanna (hope I got the sp right) He's a whole different man when his daughters around: nothing but sweetness and light for all the world. I love ya Ron!!! Thanks for showing. To think I might have made another zydeco adddict out of a perfectly good fiireman!!! Aaaaw ya'll know me: subbversion aint just a job for me, its a fun job.
But you left to early Ron, there was a 12 year old kid came out (Hunter Hawes and the Louisiana Hot) that just knocked the socks off the whole show. I mean hotter than Louiisiana in August --I mean hotter than a Tabasco milkkshake--I mean hotter than a Frennch who---well I can't say that but the kid was hot anyway. I mean the crowd was pressing the stage and not just cause it was pouring rain.
We'd seen Nathan and the Zydeco Chachas down at El Sido's on Friday night so we bailed berfore they got up and I do mean bailed as in bailed the water out. If ther was any one thing II learned in the war it was to come in out of the rain when you get the chance.
This was the first Crawfish Fest I ever got rained out of out of maybe 8 or 9. The Woman and I are going down to NO this morning to see if there's anything left of the Jazzfest
Stayed this last night with Dave and Darlene. These are people who emboody the very spirit of gracious Southern Hospitality and anyone who passes this way that don't stop to say hi is a damYankee fool. Some people don't know Dave because he hangs in the background but we don't have any truer friend or supporter on this website than him. Thanks Dave and Darlene!!

Thats what I like about the South. It just keeps getting better and better. If there's any place in the world that has gotten a whole lot better than when I first saw it, this is it. Things are changing all the time-- even got a new Walgreens down to Breaux Bridge for instance. Haha well that aint the only change thats going on down here. People tell me that race relations are better down here and I'm actually starting to believe it. When I go to these music fests and don't see anything but people grooving side by side I can see it. I thinktheyre finally getting a culture that everyone here is proud of. You know what they say: You always have a chance to build a new past.
I love Louisiana for the music and cullture--well they don't have a whole lot else but rice and oil and some pretty women but I can''t be too admireous with The Woman tagging along
This is the birthplace of almost all the music we listen to but the Fols down here don't take on big about it. A lot of them don't KNOW about it, true fact, I've actually taught some Louisianaians what Zydeco is, another true fact. These people are modest: The state motto is: We Aint Nothing But Louiisiana!! Some of the greatest folks you find anywhere.
All for now, see you when I get back to the World. (short!!2 and a wakeup!!)

James

PS, I was NOT standing on a ladder in the picture above

[pighmpr]

Well James,

What can I say? After 37 years, having the good fortune of seeing you again is truly a miracle. All those days of hoping just to see the sun come up one more time. ( still do ) Knowing today could be the last, but knowing we had each others back helped get us through those days. Knowing there were men like us we could trust with our lives formed me into who I am today. I believe in the basic unselfish good to be found in most people. It is much easier to find it in a Brother but it can be brought out in others of lesser experience.
I'm sorry we didn't have longer to visit, but will, I hope have the opportunity again in the not too distant future. It was also good to meet Larry ( Mortardude).
To everyone else reading this, I want to let you know James saved my butt during one particularly bad fight. We were walking flank when we tripped a major ambush, got stuck in the open and then pulled back to a less exposed company perimiter. On the way back, James spotted a V.C. aiming at me and my assistant gunner and popped him before he could fire on us. We made it back to the company, were surrounded by NVA and VC and proceeded to duke it out until the following morning when they broke contact. James and the LT were on the other side of a small berm from me and my crew who got trapped in the open. He kept me cool while they shot up my ruck and killed one of my ammo bearers. One of the rounds went right between his face and the LT's as they were looking at each other. I can tell you all that James may be small in stature but he is huge in guts and tenacity. He is someone who I did, and still would trust with my life.

ABU Brother! To Life!


Dan

[sn-e3]

Nice to see you joining us Dan. we all know james is quite a man.. But in the next set of pictures he sends us his head will now be as big as jack's from jack in the box minus the silly hat. welcome home

[pighmpr]

Thanks sn-e3.

I did'nt say he was'nt cocky, but when you carry your stones around in a wheelbarrow you can be. I almost got him to kiss me and there is photographic evidence! Larry took the picture in Memphis. I would'nt have, but I understand there's a hundred dollor incentive! I assume James will be man enough to post it.

Good to be here.

Dan

[exlrrp]

Originally posted by sn-e3 Nice to see you joining us Dan. we all know james is quite a man.. But in the next set of pictures he sends us his head will now be as big as jack's from jack in the box minus the silly hat. welcome home

Dang Chris, its always been that big, its where I store all the intelligence charm and imagination so necessary to a man of stature. You got to be larger than life when youre smaller than average.
Actually I paid Dan to say all that when we were in Memphis lol. What I actually did was come around a corner of a hooch and blast some pore ol Vietnamese patriot in the back who was fixing to take a shot at Dan and the other lads. This the first man I ever shot in the back but I got to like it and tried to do it like that as much as possible when I went into the lrrps. Fuck John Wayne!!
But if Dan wants to think of this as heroic, well than Say On, ol pal, I won't add anything but: Aw shit, It was fun.
Dan: Anybody who humped a 60 in that platoon for a tour and came out as good a man as you are is my hero. You deserve evrything good a veteran deserves. Thanks for being my friend--then, and now. End of story.
No, not the end of story, the beginning of a new and better story.
"Louie, I can see this is going to be the start of a great relationship"
Rick Blaine, Casablanca
Me, too.

No unfortunately, the photo was only good for $100 if I was naked--its only worth $5 as is but Ron: send it to Dave and Bern.

[exlrrp]

I have to apologize for the quality of some of these photos--had to use Tha Womans camera cause mine was stolen a few weeks ago. But this is the moment when Dan and I met--it says it all

[exlrrp]

This was my best trip to The South EVER!!!
Thanks to everyone who made it possible--I've never . ever got to hang with so many really great people in so many cool places.
Wow.
First I want to say thanks to the gang up on Psyco Mountain--you have a terrific place and the people there make it even better!! What a swell bunch of Psycos to take in a California Psyco and not even take him for a snipe hunt --altho I was spicioning it for sure, especially when Fred and Mustache Mike took me for walk on the Appalachian Trail--now I can brag I hiked on it, walked point on 1.98 miles of it to be exact. We hiked up to a terrific view point or at least it would have been if it wasn't so hazy. They was begging yr boy to slow down after I heard em talking about how far theyd hiked on the trail, garsh, we walk some out in Californicate too
Here's the intrepid hikers--guess which one is Mustache Mike--this is another nonwebsite person I like a lot--carried his own 6er the whole way, that takes dedication, carried out his bottles too.