Saturday I went to a cookout at my dad's house. This wouldn't be a big deal if I had seen my dad since, oh, 1980 or so. But I hadn't, so it is.

So we went to his house in Baton Rouge on Saturday. He had four kids by a previous marriage, and they were there. Once upon a time the four of them had lived in the same house with my dad, my mom and her four kids - eight children. Fortunately, I am too young to remember this. I had to bring them all up to date on my family - especially my siblings, whom they remembered fondly. My aunt was there, too, and she lives in what was once my grandmother's house. I always thought that house was cool, especially the bridge that went out over the bayou that runs along the side of the property. The bridge is gone, but the bayou is still there and the family was very impressed that I remembered that. John was very charming, of course, being inquisitive, smiling and doing his best to keep his head upright. He looks a lot like my dad.