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February 6, 2019
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I love my trips into the past and sharing them with you. It means I survived but sometimes watching the news about the present political climate in Washington D.C. is SO aggravating that I feel like President Franklin D. Roosevelt who once said about Congress. “A pox on both your houses”, meaning of course Republicans and Democrats.
He was a pretty good President despite being a philanderer and affected with polio paralysis. Pursing his presidential duties, he saw us through a depression and World War II. Presidents JFK. and Clinton also got away with their love affairs and had President Nixon stuck to dinning women instead of “breaking and entering” Ms fate might have been different but of course those are my personal opinions. Now the column
In 1962 I Lad helped elect State Representative Richard “Dick” Guidry with my hand and campaign songs. He won by 1″ votes but a win is a win. He called me “come spend some time with me in Baton Rouge. New laws might involve a job for you,” Did I want a job?
At the time I was a self-employed musician which he did not consider gainful employment I think that Dick was jealous of the carefree single life I led and being that he always looked out for me I thought after all what are best friends for?
The law was the “Drivers Examiner Law” requiring that every driver take a road test and an oral or written exam with a certified examiner to obtain a license. In the past licenses were issued at the D.M.V. located in Thibodaux or in the front seat of State Troopers squad cars. It was mainly a source of revenue, no questions asked, just two bucks, please. Louisiana liked reform in small doses but this would be hard to swat low.
Dick had been chosen to open the first office in South Lafourche and hire the first examiner and that would be me. I was sent to Baton Rouge for two weeks of intensive training issued a uniform, stationed at Golden Meadow Town Hall and a new adventure began
Oral exams were given to my fellow Cajuns, some who could not read, write or speak English. I don’t recall anyone failing those. I explained to my supervisors that although they might be illiterate Cajuns were pretty smart but the large numbers passing the written exams were harder to explain.
One day a distant relative looking very pals boarded his pickup truck for the road test driving us to the Catholic Church and back to the Golden Meadow Town Hall about three city blocks away.
On the way, my client went off the highway 5 times. He was visibly sweating and nervous Upon arriving at the church, I said, “Stop”
Fearing far my life, I continued* 111 walk hack, just meet me at the Town HalL” I got there before him and his license Was already written out. He thanked me and paid the fee.
I had bent the law my first day on the job! My conscience was shaken, hut not as much as that poor old man see-sawing an. and off the road on his way back home. I heaved a sigh of relief. What’s next I wondered?
One day a young lady had filled out the written exam and I was grading it. One of the questions was, You are driving and the traffic light turns yellow, what you do?” Her answer gave me a joke I could tell the rest of my life: “Stamp the accelerator, speed up and try to make it!” She answered
Certainly, a failing answer, but she was pretty, I was young and what the heck? She got her license.
As she was leaving, she looked back and I guess wondered why I was laughing with tears in my eyes, because to her. that was the logical answer and logic and good horse sense were, to a Cajun. a most valued asset
Next column, one of the last straws that caused me to make a career change after a few months an the job. It gets funnier, but not necessarily for me.
In this week’s column, Leroy Martin talks about Mr. Dick Guidry, a lifelong friend He also discusses the interesting methods for handing out driver’s licenses in the past.
