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I Wish I Had A Penny

Paw Paw Penny was born on March 17, 1934,   St Paddy’s Day!   How fitting …and how LUCKY for us!  PawPaw’s passion was music and after decades of playing in and around Ascension Parish, you could always find him jamming with friends or cooking a jambalaya and gumbo in “Penny’s Blue Room”.

PawPaw and MawMaw were married for 69 years. Life was a fun filled adventure.  It was not always a cake walk but it sure was sweet!

Now You might ask, “How did such big, strong burly man get a nickname like PENNY! 

Well, There was a lady named Mrs. Guidry who lived nearby.  She would always pay the kids a wooden token to do chores for her.  One day she gave little Lionel one and he said, “I don’t want that!”  I want real money!!  So to quiet this boy down she gave him a REAL PENNY. Mrs. Guidry also had a son named Lionel so she began calling Lionel Duplessis, PENNY.  And PENNY was his name!

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY STORY HE TOLD OF ABOUT HIS LIFE, HIS CHILDHOOD, HIS ANTICS, HIS MEMORIES!

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY NOTE HE PICKED, EVERY SONG HE PLAYED

                AND EVERY RUG HE CUT

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY MILE HE DROVE AND EVERY SLOT HE PULLED

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERYTIME HE TOLD MAWMAW SHE WAS SOOOO PRETTY!

AND FOR EVERYTIME I HEARD HIM SAY “HEY EARLINE, MAKE US A SHOT OF COFFEE”

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY SCRAMBLED EGG THAT WAS FRIED FOR HIM AT 2AM

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY LESSON HE TAUGHT MY MOM. The important ones, like horseback riding, hunting, fishing, skiing, and to drive ..at 13…if she went straight to church and back.

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY DRIVE HE MADE TO TEXAS TO BRING AUNT VONDA TO SEE THE BELLS.

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY TIME HE WAS CALLED “THE LADY’S MAN”

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY CORNBREAD HE ATE

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY WESTERN SHOW HE WATCHED.

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR THE NUMBER OF BASEBALL, BASKETBALL, FOOTBALL, SOCCER AND LACROSSE he attended to watch his grandkids play ball.

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY TIME HE SANG “BUSHELL AND A PEC”.

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY TRACTOR RIDE HE GAVE TO US KIDS

AND FOR EVERY ACRE HE CUT, PLOWED AND BUSHHOGGED

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY CARD GAME HE PLAYED

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY TRIP HE MADE TO MAC – DONALDS

AND EVERY HOT DOG WE ROASTED IN THE BACK YARD.

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY THIN FRIED CATFISH WE ATE FROM MIDDENDORF’S

                AND EVERY PHONE CALL TO HIS BELOVED SISTERS IN LAW

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY BIRTHDAY SONG HE SANG TO US.

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY PARTY WE HAD IN THE BLUE ROOM

AND EVERY POT HE STIRRED MAKING JAMBALYA, GUMBO AND SPAGHETTI. 

I WISH I HAD A PENNY FOR EVERY TIME HE TOLD US “I LOVE YOU”

WITH THE PENNY WE HAD, WE WOULD NOT TRADE FOR ALL THE GOLD IN THE WORLD  !!