THOUGHTS FROM BULLY: The APPLE Sometimes Falls Far From The TREE

This last month a FACEBOOK alert came to my computer announcing that Andrew Murphy is The 2010 High School Student of the Year. Well Hell. That young man is my Second Cousin.

A senior attending Captain Shreve High School, was maimed 2010 Captain Shreve High School Student of the Year by the school faculty, he was then named 2010 Caddo Parish Student of the Year by the Caddo Parish School Board, next he was named 2010 Northwest Louisiana Student of the Year covering 13 parishes and then he was named 2010 Louisiana High School Student of the Year.

WOW! What a great honor and achievement. I soon started thinking that his success may have been due to his blood line. Of course, he is kin to me, Bully.

As I researched his background I realized we had a lot in common and thought it would be fun to compare students with a span of 4 decades.

Lets start with photos and comparisons of photos identified as 1.

It is obvious we are kin. We are both good looking except he may have had better dental insurance.

In photo 2 Andrew is supporting that classic baseball photo pose and holding an alluminum bat. At one point this year he had a .513 batting average. I bet that bat had something to do with that and what bat is that? Does it have Al Kaline, Mickey Mantle or Carl Yazstremski burnt into the wood. I doubt it. It probably has Terminator 3, Ill be BAT, painted on it.

In my photo 2 it may seem that we were winners of a best dressed contest but it is an awards ceremony for the Legion Baseball Season.

That tall cool drink of water in the middle is me. Of course I lost 3 inches in height when I took my John Travolta style shoes off.

I couldn’t find a photo of me in my uniform for our comparison but this photo says a lot. Look at those clothes.

On my left is David Villemarette...good friend and Champion of Life. He was one secure man to wear those plaid 2 inch cuffed pants in public. I had 2 pairs just like them.

On my right is Lee Tullier. Lee is a State Trooper. I have dropped his name on many occasions to State Troopers, while being pulled over. Hey Officer, Do you know Lee Tullier? I’ve heard responses of Sergeant Tullier, Captain Tullier, Hell, he may be a General by now. Call me Lee. I need to be accurate when I say, Hey Officer, Do you know General Tullier.

The point of this picture we both had baseball skills and I am jealous of that bat. Like every old school baseball players thinks. I wish I could have hit with, The Terminator. In photo number 3. Andrew is pictured in his uniform. He was named to the first team All City Football Team and named to the first team All District 1-5A District Football Team. My football accolades a little different from Cousin Andrew. The similarities are we did have uniforms and I did play in a district. I did notice in my football photo I really did weight 165 lbs. at one time in my life. Also look at the face mask. With protection like that no wonder the teeth in my photos may be a little out of line.

In photo 4 Andrew dresses with a lot of style. Just like me in the #2 baseball photo. He looks as if he could be James Bond. If he looked that good for prom Id like to see his date. My prom photo however is not available for publishing because I burnt it. I will tell you what it looked like. I was supporting a beautiful pink tuxedo with white paisley prints that I had to pick up on Plank Road. WOW! I was hot. I was so hot that many years later I came across the prom photo with that monstrosity of a tux and I burnt it. If you must get a glimpse of the picture contact Junior Gaudin. His wife Mary, my date, still may have a copy.

Here are few more comparisons that Id like to make.

While in High School he earned 29 hours of credit. While in college I earned 29 credits. He plays classical music. I play Grand Funk Railroad. He has 9 belts in Karate. I have 5 belts for may pants. He’s received an offer to be drafted out of high school by the Mets. I was drafted by the Brusly Semi Pro Team. He can drive a golf ball 350 yards. I can drive a golf ball in the fairway. He has traveled all 50 states, plus Central America, Caribbean Islands, Mexico, Canada, Europe, Asia, Australia, Egypt, Jordan and Africa. I have been to Bayou Pigeon, Sorrento, Ville Plate and many more fine Louisiana locations. He has 4.0 GPA. I have a 400 MAG.

It’s obvious this is a great young man and well on his way to success in life.

I am going to make a psychic prediction.

I believe he is going to graduate college and get masters degree. He is going to have a job that does not involve a shovel. He will never have the pleasure living in a double wide. I can’t imagine him skinning squirrels or dragging wild pigs out of a thicket. Coon probably wont ever be on his menu and snapping turtle sauce piquant wont be a recipe in his pantry.

My second cousin Andrew has certainly gotten off to a good start but I need to give him some advice. Watch all that education stuff. It will result in you having a job. You’ll have to go to it everyday and get paid.

Then you’ll purchase homes, boats, trucks and cars. That’s when they got you. You’ll have to travel and see the world some more and then work, work, work. Who wants that? Just look at your Grand Daddy. Isn’t he about 80 years old and still working?

Come live with me in the double wide for about a month. Ill get your mind right.