• By SMILEY ANDERS
• Advocate columnist
• Published: Sep 2, 2009 - Page: 1B

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Tweet
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

Dick Brandt, who just moved here from Annandale, N.J., tells how he learned about Southern hospitality.

“I was in my living room when I saw a truck stop in front of the house and a man get out.

“He introduced himself as Matt Daigle, a roofing contractor, and said he wanted to show me something about my roof.

“Sensing a con, I told him that although I had just moved in I had been told the roof was only a year old.

“He insisted that I accompany him to the curb, and sure enough it appeared that a number of shingles were missing.

“He said that as soon as his crew finished their job he would have them fix my roof.

“A couple of hours later the truck was there, and three of his people went up on the roof. They found the missing shingles and reinstalled them, and also sealed around some nails.

“I asked how much and he said, ‘Nothing. I can see that you are a proud Marine (I was wearing a Marine Corps League shirt) and this is my way to say ‘Welcome to the South and thank you for your service.’

“This never would have happened in New Jersey, and I have a feeling it may even be unique for Baton Rouge.

“You had better believe I am keeping his card.”

Double trouble

Speaking of Marines:

Dan Burkhalter, the Carencro Curmudgeon, says he wasn’t the Marine named Burkhalter from Louisiana that Joe Cooper met in 1953 off the Korean coast (and told of in a Saturday letter).