Storytime Tapestry Newsletter

The newsletter devoted to spreading love and cultural awareness throughout the world.

We will run a series of stories by Loren Moore and other writers as our final farewell to a wonderful man.?  There will also be a tribute by Kathy Baker to be included in this series as well.? 

Special Treat ??“ Loren Moore and Norma Liles ??“ Part 1

March 11, 2006

MY TRIP TO CADDO LAKE ??“ Part 1

? 

BY NORMA LILES & LOREN MOORE

? 

NORMA WRITES;

? 

???HEY SIS, GUESS WHAT??  I HAVE BEEN INVITED TO JOIN LOREN AND JOHNNIE MOORE AT THEIR FISHING CABIN AT CADDO LAKE IN TEXAS AND I HAVE CONSIDERED?  TAKING THEM UP ON THEIR OFFER BUT YOU KNOW HOW I GET LOST SO EASILY JUST GOING AROUND THE CORNER AND LOOK HOW FAR THAT IS FROM OUR HOME STATE OF OHIO????.

???HEY NORMALEE, YOU ARE NOT GETTING ANY YOUNGER AND YOU KNOW THAT YOU HAVE ALWAYS WANTED TO REDISCOVER TEXAS AS IT HAS BEEN EONS SINCE YOU VISITED THAT BIG STATE.???

? 

???OH OK, IF YOU ARE SURE THAT YOU WILL KEEP A LOOKOUT FOR MY PLACE; MAYBE CHECK IT ONCE IN A WHILE, WHILE I AM GONE.?  I WILL LET HIM AND JOHNNIE KNOW THAT I HAVE TAKEN THEM UP ON THEIR OFFER AFTER I HAVE SLEPT ON THE IDEA!???

? 

LOREN WRITES;

? 

AFTER SLEEPING ON THE IDEA NORMALEE MADE UP HER MIND SHE WOULD GO TO TEXAS TO VISIT LOREN AND JOHNNIE.

? 

NORMALEE DIDN??™T LIKE FLYING IN AN AIR PLANE SO SHE DECIDED SHE WOULD DRIVE.?  AFTER ALL SHE WASN??™T IN ANY HURRY.?  SHE COULD CALL LOREN ON HER CELL PHONE AFTER SHE GOT TO TEXAS AND GET DIRECTIONS TO HIS CABIN.

? 

SHE PACKED HER CLOTHES AND GOT EVERY THING IN THE CAR FOR AN EARLY START THE NEXT DAY.?  AS SHE DROVE OUT OF HILLSBORO, OHIO SHE WAS IN A GOOD MOOD.?  SHE DROVE SOUTH ON HIGHWAY 41 TOWARD KENTUCKY.?  AT MAYSVILLE NORMALEE CROSSED THE OHIO RIVER.?  NOW SHE WAS ON HIGHWAY 68 LEADING TO LEXINGTON.

? 

WHEN NORMALEE GOT TO LEXINGTON SHE DECIDED SHE WOULD SPEND THE NIGHT THERE AND GO ON IN THE MORNING.?  SHE STOPPED AT THE FIRST MOTEL SHE CAME TO.?  IT HAPPENED TO BE A BEST WESTERN MOTEL.? 

? 

AFTER SHE REGISTERED AND GOT A ROOM, SHE WENT TO THE MOTEL RESTAURANT AND ATE DINNER.?  NORMALEE HAD A GOOD NIGHT??™S SLEEP AND THE NEXT MORNING SHE ATE BREAKFAST IN THE MOTEL COFFEE SHOP.?  THEN SHE WAS ON HER WAY AGAIN.

? 

NORMALEE TOOK LOOP 4 AROUND THE CITY LOOKING FOR THE ROAD THAT WOULD TAKE HER TO INTERSTATE 65.?  SHE COULDN??™T FIND ANY SIGNS THAT WOULD TELL HER WHAT EXIT FROM THE LOOP TO TAKE.?  AFTER SHE HAD BEEN AROUND THE LOOP THREE TIMES SHE HAD TO ADMIT SHE WAS LOST.

? 

NORMA WRITES;

? 

OH MY GOD WHAT DO I DO NOW??  I HAD PROMISED LOREN THAT I WOULD CALL HIM BY 1PM SO WHAT DO I DO NOW, SHE PONDERS AND THEN A BRIGHT IDEA COMES TO MIND; PULL OFF ONTO THE BURM, LIFT THE HOOD ON THE CAR AND, HOPEFULLY, A GOOD LOOKING STATE PATROLMAN WOULD SEE HER NEED FOR ASSISTANCE? (GOOD LUCK, SHE THINKS TO HERSELF).

? 

LOREN WRITES;

? 

AFTER NORMALEE STOPPED HER CAR, SHE RAISED THE HOOD AND SAT BACK DOWN IN THE CAR TO WAIT FOR HER STATE PATROLMAN.?  SHE HAD FORGOT ABOUT HER PROMISE TO CALL LOREN.

? 

AFTER SITTING THERE FOR A WHILE SHE LOOKED UP IN HER REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SAW A PICKUP WITH FLASHING YELLOW LIGHTS ON TOP, PULL UP BEHIND HER CAR AND STOP.?  AN OLD MAN IN A DIRTY PAIR OF COVERALLS GOT OUT OF THE PICKUP.?  NORMALEE QUICKLY LOCKED HER CAR DOOR.

? 

THE MAN WALKED UP TO NORMALEE??™S CAR AND MOTIONED FOR HER TO ROLL DOWN HER WINDOW.?  SHE ROLLED IT DOWN 2 INCHES AND ASKED THE MAN WHAT HE WANTED.?  ???IS YOU CAR BROKE DOWN LADY??  I??™M WITH THE LEXINGTON ROAD ASSISTANCE DEPARTMENT.???

? 

???AH ??¦ NO, I??™M NOT BROKE DOWN.?  MY CAR WAS RUNNING A LITTLE HOT SO I STOPPED TO LET THE MOTOR COOL OFF SOME.?  I??™M SURE IT??™S ALRIGHT NOW, THANK YOU.???

? 

???WELL I??™LL JUST HAVE A LOOK AT IT TO MAKE SURE.????  AFTER THE MAN SPENT A COUPLE OF MINUTES UNDER THE HOOD, HE CLOSED IT AND SAID EVERYTHING LOOKS OK NOW.?  YOU CAN BE ON YOUR WAY.

? 

???THANK YOU.??? NORMALEE SAID AS SHE REACHED FOR HER PURSE.?  THE MAN TOLD HER SHE DIDN??™T OWE HIM ANYTHING.?  AS HE STARTED WALKING BACK TO HIS PICKUP, NORMALEE CALLED TO HIM AND ASKED WHICH EXIT SHE SHOULD TAKE TO GET TO INTERSTATE 65.?  THE MAN TOLD HER IT WAS THE NEXT EXIT SHE CAME TO.

? 

WHEN SHE GOT ON I-65 HEADING SOUTH SHE CROSSED INTO TENNESSEE.?  WHEN NORMALEE GOT TO NASHVILLE SHE DECIDED SHE WOULD STOP AND GO TO THE GRAND OLE OPRY.?  SHE MIGHT GET TO SEE AND HEAR PATSY CLINE OR WILLIE NELSON OR EVEN MINNIE PEARL.?  SHE COULD SPEND THE NIGHT IN NASHVILLE AND GET ON THE ROAD AGAIN IN THE MORNING.

? 

NORMA WRITES;

? 

GEE, AM I GLAD THAT I THOUGHT OF STOPPING TO SEE THE GRAND OLE OPRY AND SINCE I HAVE, I DECIDED TO TREAT MYSELF TO A SPECIAL TREATMENT (haven??™t been on a vacation for ages); I LUCKED OUT AND THE OPRY LAND HOTEL WAS RUNNING A ONE DAY SPECIAL (out of season)AND I WAS ABLE TO GET A SINGLE AT A WONDERFUL RATE, HMMMMM!?  I SURE COULD GET USED TO LIVING LIKE THIS!!!

? 

LET??™S SEE WHO IS ON THE BILLING FOR TONIGHT??™S OPRY. BRAD PAISLEY, BUDDY JEWEL, OH MY GOD! I DON??™T BELIEVE IT. MY ALL TIME FAVORITE, VINCE GILL. DO YOU RECKON THAT I WILL GET TO MEET HIM? I BET AMY STICKS TO HIM LIKE GLUE?

? 

IF I DO, I WILL REMIND HIM THAT I AM FROM HIS DAD??™S FAVOR TE STATE, OHIO. THINK THAT WILL MEAN ANYTHING? PLUS I COULD TELL HIM THAT I SAW HIM IN CONCERT AT THE COLUMBUS, OHIO STATE FAIRGROUNDS.? 

? 

GEE, I WISH SIS MAXINE WAS HERE WITH ME. SHE WOULD BE JUMPING UP AND DOWN FOR JOY. I COULD HAVE MOVED OVER AND SHARED MY BED WITH HER LIKE WE DID WHEN WE WERE KIDS.

? 

GEE, I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE THIS PLACE. MAKES A PERSON FEEL LIKE SOMEONE REALLY IMPORTANT BUT I KNOW THAT I AM TO SOME PEOPLE.?  I COULD CALL LOREN AND JOHNNIE AND LET THEM KNOW THAT I WILL BE A COUPLE MORE EXTRA DAYS ON MY TRAVELING AS THIS WAS TOO GOOD TO PASS UP.?  Hmmmm I WONDER WHAT IT WILL FEEL LIKE TO SIT IN MY SEAT AND KEEP MY COMPOSURE WHEN I GET TO SIT CLOSE UP FRONT TO THE VERY STAGE THAT VINCE WILL BE USING. I HOPE HE SINGS MY FAVORITES. WE WILL SEE?

? 

LOREN WRITES;

? 

THAT NIGHT, WHEN NORMALEE GOT BACK TO HER ROOM, SHE KEPT LOOKING AT HER GRAND OLE OPRY PROGRAM, VINCE GILL HAD AUTOGRAPHED FOR HER.?  MAXINE WAS GOING TO DIE WHEN SHE SAW IT.?  SHE LAID HER SUIT CASE ON THE BED, OPENED IT AND TOOK ALL OF HER CLOTHES OUT.?  THEN SHE PUT HER AUTOGRAPHED PROGRAM ON THE BOTTOM OF HER SUIT CASE.

? 

NORMALEE LOOKED AROUND FOR SOMETHING TO COVER THE PROGRAM WITH, TO SEPARATE IT FROM HER CLOTHES.?  ALL SHE COULD SEE WAS HER MAP SO SHE UNFOLDED IT AND COVERED HER PROGRAM WITH IT.?  THEN SHE WENT TO BED AND DREAMED ABOUT VINCE SINGING TO HER.

? 

NORMALEE WAS UP EARLY THE NEXT MORNING AND AFTER BREAKFAST SHE WAS ON THE ROAD AGAIN.?  SHE DROVE DOWN I-65 INTO ALABAMA AND AT BIRMINGHAM SHE TURNED WEST ON INTERSTATE 20.?  LATER SHE CROSSED INTO MISSISSIPPI WHERE SHE STOPPED FOR A LATE LUNCH.

? 

AFTER LUNCH NORMALEE CROSSED THE LOUISIANA STATE LINE.?  SHE THOUGHT ABOUT MAKING A SIDE TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS BUT DECIDED AGAINST IT.?  AT THE RATE SHE WAS GOING SHE WOULD NEVER GET TO CADDO.?  LATER THAT AFTERNOON SHE DROVE INTO BOSSIER CITY.?  SHE THOUGHT SHE MOST BE GETTING CLOSE TO TEXAS BUT SHE COULDN??™T BE SURE. SHE HAD PACKED HER MAP IN HER SUIT CASE.

? 

NORMALEE DECIDED SHE WOULD SPEND THE NIGHT IN BOSSIER CITY AND SHE WOULD LOOK AT HER MAP IN THE MORNING AND KNOW HOW MUCH FARTHER SHE HAD TO GO.?  SHE REMINDED HERSELF AGAIN THAT SHE HAD TO CALL LOREN AND JOHNNIE TONIGHT.?  SHE HAD PUT IT OFF TO LONG.

AS NORMALEE ENTERED BOSSIER CITY SHE SAW A BIG SIGN THAT SAID BINION??™S HORSE SHOE HOTEL.?  SHE DIDN??™T KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT THIS HOTEL BUT IT LOOKED FAIRLY NEW SO SHE STOPPED.?  THERE WAS A LARGE PARKING LOT AND IT WAS FULL OF CARS.?  SHE COULD SEE THAT THE HOTEL WAS SIX STORIES TALL.

? 

WELL MAYBE THEY WILL HAVE ONE ROOM OPEN AND SHE DROVED AROUND TO THE FRONT OF THE HOTEL.?  THERE WERE SEVERAL EMPTY PARKING SPACES RIGHT IN FRONT OF THE HOTEL AND SHE PULLED INTO ONE OF THEM.?  NORMALEE WENT IN AND ASKED IF THEY HAD A ROOM FOR HER.

? 

THEY DID AND AFTER REGISTERING AND GOING UP TO HER ROOM ON THE THIRD FLOOR, SHE DIALED LOREN??™S PHONE NUMBER.?  NO ONE ANSWERED.?  NORMALEE WONDERED IF THEY WERE OUT ON THE LAKE FISHING OR RUNNING LINES.?  WELL SHE THOUGHT I??™LL GO EAT DINNER AND TRY CALLING AGAIN BEFORE I GO TO BED.

? 

NORMALEE WENT DOWN TO THE FRONT DESK AND ASKED WHERE THE HOTEL DINING ROOM WAS.?  THE CLERK POINTED DOWN A HALL TO THE LEFT OF THE DESK.?  HE TOLD HER TO FOLLOW THAT HALL.?  SHE WALKED DOWN THE HALL FOR A LONG WAYS.?  THE SHE CAME OUT TO A COVERED WALKWAY.?  NORMALEE FOLLOWED IT TO A (OH MY GOD) A SHIP TIED UP TO A DOCK.?  OVER THE WALKWAY THAT LED TO A DOOR IN THE SIDE OF THE SHIP WAS A SIGN IN LIGHTS THAT SAID BINION??™S HORSE SHOE CASINO.? 

? 

WHEN NORMALEE WALKED INTO THE SHIP, THE FIRST THING SHE SAW WAS A LINE OF SLOT MACHINES.?  A LITTLE FARTHER SHE SAW A LARGE DINNING ROOM ON HER RIGHT AND AN EVEN LARGER ROOM ON THE LEFT WITH A BUNCH OF PEOPLE GAMBLING AT ALL KINDS OF TABLES.?  SHE WALKED INTO THE DINNING ROOM AND THE MAITRE D PICKED UP A MENU AND ESCORTED HER TO A TABLE.?  HE PULLED OUT A CHAIR FOR HER TO SIT IN.

? 

AFTER NORMALEE FINISH HER MEAL SHE WALKED BACK OUT INTO THE ENTRANCE HALL.?  SHE LOOKED IN THE GAMING ROOM AND SAW PEOPLE PLAYING BLACK JACK, POKER AND SHOOTING DICE.?  THE REASON SHE KNEW WHAT THEY WERE DOING WAS BECAUSE SHE HAD SEEN IT ALL ON TV AT ONE TIME OR ANOTHER.

? 

CURIOSITY GOT THE BEST OF HER AND SHE WALKED INTO THE GAMING ROOM.?  SHE HAD NO INTENTIONS OF GAMBLING BUT SHE WANTED TO WATCH THE PEOPLE.?  AS NORMALEE WANDERED AROUND THE ROOM SHE SAW A ROULETTE WHEEL.?  THIS IS SOMETHING SHE HAD SEEN ON TV JUST BEFORE SHE STARTED HER TRIP.?  SHE REMEMBERED YOU COULD PLACE A BET ON WEATHER THE LITTLE BALL LANDED ON AN EVEN OR AN ODD NUMBER.

? 

NORMALEE TOOK A ONE DOLLAR BILL OUT OF HER PURSE AND WATCHED THE LITTLE BALL GO ROUND AND ROUND.?  SHE WAS TRYING TO DECIDE IF IT WAS GOING TO LAND ON AN EVEN OR AN ODD NUMBER.?  THEN SHE MADE UP HER MIND.?  SHE SAID GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN AND TURNED AROUND AND LEFT THE CASINO.

? 

NORMA WRITES;

? 

WHAT IN THIS WORLD IS GOING ON, SHE SAYS TO HERSELF AS SHE SIT BOLT RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF HER BED......WHERE AM I AND WHY AM I DREAMING SUCH A WILD DREAM??  MY OH MY, I MUST HAVE REALLY GOTTEN TIRED FROM DRIVING FROM NASHVILLE TO BOSSIER CITY?? 

? 

THERE IS NO WAY YOU WOULD CATCH ME IN A CASINO.........OR WOULD YOU??  I WILL THINK ON THAT ONE!? 

? 

GEE WHAT TIME IS IT ANYWAY??  OH MY, IT IS 11 O??™CLOCK.?  I WONDER IF I WOULD FIND LOREN AND JOHNNIE IN BED IF I ATTEMPT TO CALL THEM NOW? OH WELL, I GUESS I CAN STAND FOR LOREN TO YELL AT ME SINCE I HAVE BEEN STALLING AROUND SO LONG??  RING, RING, RING!? 

? 

HELLO LOREN, IS THAT YOU??  WHAT??™S THE MATTER??  IS SOMETHING WRONG....WHY DO YOU SOUND SO STRANGE??  OH DON??™T TELL ME....OH YOU DON??™T MEAN IT??  WHEN DID YOU SAY IT HAPPENED....WHAT TIME WAS THAT??  GOLLEE!?  I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT...OK, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AS SOON AS YOU CAN!?  GOD BLESS AND TAKE CARE, NOW!

? 

To be continued.