A MADCAP ADVENTURE

But I don't want to go among mad people; Alice remarked.

"Oh, you can't help that," said the Cat:"we're all mad here. I'm mad. You're mad.

"How do you know I'm mad?" said Alice.

"You must be," said the Cat, "or you wouldn't have come here."

Once upon a time,way down yonder in New Orleans, the paths of one young lady and a dashing young man met and merged (and that has made all the difference!)

This is the beginning of their story ; a beginning that defies all logic and reason (and my mother).

Brother Lonnie and his brother,Roy, and two of their cousins came to New Orleans to visit a cousin who had been in an accident. Since I lived next door to this hapless fellow, I spent a lot of time with him and thus was on the scene, a sitting duck, as it were. If you knew brother Lonnie you are aware that it was not long before he had cornered me in the kitchen and stolen a kiss. Now I, having stars in my eyes and rocks in my head, was the proverbial fly, gazing at myself in the looking glass. I'm sure you've heard the saying,swept off my feet, well that perfectly described the situation. Then and there, in that kitchen, in November of 1954, I hitched my wagon to a star ; and in retrospect I can say with clarity and conviction that this was my finest hour.

This was my mother's response: here paraphrased by the Queen." Now, I give you fair warning," shouted the Queen, stamping on the ground as she spoke; " either you or your head must be off, and that in about half the time! Take your choice!"

Well, in less than half the time (three months) we were off !! Thus begins our saga, our great adventure. And did we succeed? Yes! We did, indeed!