BROTHER DON HENDERSON'S COMMENTS
ABOUT BROTHER GENE
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Gene was a pledge when I was a senior, so I was not able to bond with him like many of his closer
brothers. I do want to share a couple of stories that I remember about Gene.
Back when we had the Old Frat Shacks, Gene and I were talking between classes and I learned that
he needed a story for his English class that he had not yet written. He was panicking as to what to
write. I remembered a story that Jim Bob Humphries had told to me, and thought it might be
appropriate. J.B. never embellished any of his stories (ha!!), and told this one as the honest to God
truth, so I gave it to Gene as such. (Note: I may have embellished it just a bit, but mostly from lack of
memory) P.S. J.B. always remembered everything and still does!!
A brother, who was an Alpha Nu, had moved back to his home in Pt. Arthur after some grade
problems at U.T. He and his dog, a Weimaraner, were great pals, they even drank together. It was
reported that they both drank a lot and both had hangovers together. Our brother and his dog were
often served at local bars and it is reputed that this Weimaraner was the only dog ever to be served in
Pat O'Brien's in New Orleans. It is reported that he and his dog sat at the bar in Pat O'Brien's and was
served his usual (whatever that was). Often, he and the dog stayed out late on the weekends and got
up late on Sunday mornings; each with a hangover. On this particular morning, the dog arouse first
and walked through the living room with his head bowed and with evidence of a huge hangover. He
was followed by our Alpha Nu brother, who also had a big hangover and strolled through the living
room in his skivvies, scratching his private parts. His parents were horrified, and so was the adult
church study group, who sat in their living room. The Sunday School meeting quickly broke up.
I do not know what brother Gene wrote, but it was enough to get him a good grade. All I did was tell
Gene the story and he took it from there. The next time I saw him, he was all smiles and thanked me
for the idea.
The only other story I remember is one that I don't remember, if you know what I mean. I was single,
living on the Gulf Freeway and as all of us, God looked out for me on more than one occasion. Gene
had come to visit me, maybe for a party we had, because it was party-time in Houston in the early
60's. What I remember was he and I drove somewhere, where I can not remember (may not have
known then), We stopped at aTexaco Station (you'll see later why I remember this) to get gas. This
was the last time I remember being with Gene one on one. All of the other times were in group
meetings, the last of which was the retirement/send-off party for Brother V.J.
Back to the Texaco Station, which is a rather vague memory. Apparently I used my credit card there
to buy gas, either for my car or his. (Wish I could ask him, he would know....well, maybe not) Shortly
after I began receiving Texaco gas bills that were not mine. I must have left my card in that station,
because someone used the card to go all the way to New York and charged gas and oil (indicating it
was an old car using oil) at every stop, along with lots of other stuff. He ran up quite a bill. When I
talked to the authorities, I was told that I would have to file on the person in every individual county
that he used the card in order to prosecute him. That was not possible. I'm pretty sure Gene and I had
a good time that night. I never told Gene about the lost card. Gene, you were always someone that
enjoyed being around and looked forward to seeing you again at the Oct. 8, 9 reunion, but God had
other plans for you and I pray that I will be at the BIG reunion when.... 1938-.....my DASH is
complete.
In the bonds, Don Henderson Epsilon Chi '62.