re: I really wish I had listened more to the stories the old folks told, Let’s share some

Our generations are spread out. My grandpa was born in 1887 or 1888. I lived with him when he was in his late 70s, early 80s.

Lots of stories from him...

-He traveled by covered wagon with his family when they moved from Arkansas to homestead our family farm near Wilmore Kansas. (The Comanche had just been removed from the area)

-He used to hang with a son of Frank Rockefeller who had an enormous ranch near Belvidere Kansas. Said the boy had a 16 cylinder car...maybe a Packard.

-Flew a biplane in France in WW1. Dropped little bombs that he had in his lap.

-Worked in salt mines in deplorable conditions.

Ok, I’ll bite. Mom and Dad were 22 and 18 and Dad was trying to find a better paying job since he was a part time cook at a restaurant on Airline Hwy…. He was nicknamed Cookie and the shortened version of “Cook” stayed with him his entire life. He would be 100 today….RIP Dad.

They were down to their very last dollar and they were in church for the Sunday Catholic Mass. when the collection plate came around my Dad fished out his last dollar, looked at Mom and nodded, then put that dollar in the plate. They prayed for their needs.

On Monday he and 3 others piled into a car and went job searching, stopped in Norco, La. and walked into a gas station to get a pack of gum to share.
An older lady walked up to Dad and asked if he was Cook and asked what was he doing there. When he said he was job hunting she took his name and a telephone number of his Dad’s house because she was sure he could get a job with Shell Oil Refinery since she knew a higher up real well.

He got a call 2 days later and began work at the Norco refinery. He never missed a mass after that and even volunteered time at the church to help do whatever they needed.

Mom told me this after Dad passed. He hadn’t shared the story with us kids but the explained the importance he placed on being a good person and having faith in God.