Yesterday, I went running in Hammond, Louisiana. I had to do a 7 miler, and I’m down south for a country music festival. I went to college at Southeastern Louisiana University from 1979 – 1984. I think the population on campus was about 5,000. Now, the enrollment tops 15,000. It’s changed a lot, but I was surprised at how much was the same. The daughter of one of my pals I’m visiting is in college at Southeastern, and I quizzed her about what it was like now. I had an idea that much had changed, but I wanted to see it with my own eyes.

I ran down Railroad Avenue which I don’t really remember being that special back in the day. Now, they have it fixed up as sort of a park along the road with nicely manicured grass and well-groomed trees. It was quite quaint and really beautiful…