A Chance Meeting

In my second year in college, I was working at Pinhook Food Mart, as a salesclerk. The grocery store was owned by Robert Mahtook and managed by Frank Camela.

One Saturday, into the store, walked Edwin Edwards, who had just been elected Louisiana Governor for the first time. He took his time walking around the store, greeting everyone who was there.

When he got to me, I told him my name and I said, “Governor, I believe that you know my father, Johnny Ashy.”

That stopped him cold. He looked at me up and down, from head to toe. Twice. Then he said, “Son, you had better go home and ask your mother who your real daddy is. You are not near good-looking enough to be Johnny’s boy.”