May 18
Interesting Stories
I am thankful for interesting stories. I love stories that remind us that truth is sometimes stranger than fiction. I love researching and digging out lesser known facts and stories.
Today's photo is a statue, which I never noticed before, that I came upon on North Boulevard in Baton Rouge while I was taking a photo of the new 19th Judicial District Courthouse. It stands right in front of the courthouse in the North Boulevard Promenade. What interested me was an inscription at the base which says "WCTU 1914". A little research (Landmarks & Monuments of Baton Rouge by Hilda S. Krousel, Ph.D., The History Press, 2012) told me that WCTU stood for Women's Christian Temperance Union. This became a little more intriguing. These Christian women were for temperance in all things, especially involving alcohol. I learned that the statue was of the Greek Goddess Hebe, cupbearer to the Gods. Originally, there was a large basin and water fountains surrounding her. It seems that the WCTU put the statue up to promote alcoholic temperance, thinking that Hebe delivered water to the Gods. However, as Greek mythology tells us, Hebe's pitcher contained wine and not water. The WCTU was more than a little bit embarrassed. The statue became known as the "Naughty Lady of North Boulevard" or the "Naughty Lady of the Shady Boulevard".
My dad was the consumate story teller. He would have us rolling with laughter during the telling of his tales, mostly true stories based on his experiences in our hometown in Indiana. The following is my version in verse of a story he used to tell a long time ago. It was based on the true story of a man who worked in his plant. I have added a little poetic license but it is, as far as I remember, pretty much as he told it. I did manufacture an ending of my own (the part in parentheses), but who knows, maybe it actually happened like this.
john q
there was a man
who’s name was john q
he had so many pet rabbits
his wife didn’t know what to do
she said to him one day
“either the rabbits or you have to go
i can’t continue to live this way
john q you have to know
there are rabbits in the den
and rabbits in the hall
when i go to take a shower
there’s rabbits in the stall”
so john q scratched his head
he had a decision to make
he loved his rabbits and his wife
there was a lot at stake
so he did the only thing
a man could possibly do
he himself and his rabbits
to his car they withdrew
so he lived there in the car
the rabbits and john q
but the inside of the automobile
became a rather messy goo
he was about to give in
he was about to give the bunnies away
when his wife came to him
and said they could all
come home and stay
she would take him back
even with every last bunny
so john q is now happy
with the rabbits and his honey.
(his wife has a little secret though
she cooks him his meals anew
consisting of vegetables, onions, and potatoes
and a meaty mystery stew).
© rt tulley