Lake Charles

 My little Fiat broke down one time

Near Lake Charles, Lou oui see Anna.

It was 1963, and I was

Headed home from New Orleans

With a carload of Rice students.

My friends went on to Houston by bus,

But I hitchhiked to Orange, Texas,

And somehow (how...I am not quite sure)

Got a hold of my friend Tim Barker,

An All American in basketball who

Was home in Orange for spring break.

Tim's family took me in and

Fed me my first fried oysters.  His

Brother took me back to my car,

And towed me all the way to Houston,

And would not take any money.

That would be unheard of today.

Tim and I were neighbors in our dorm.

Decades later I read that Tim

Had died in Noth Carolina where

He had a family.  He played varsity ball

At Rice, and majored in commerce studies.