Love Story #2: Kenny and Fran (Mom & Dad)

[Fran/Mom] "I remember very clearly the first time that I saw Daddy. I had a friend that I had been sharing an apartment with in the French Quarter. After Eldie had her car towed for about the 8th time we decided to look for a place out in Metairie. We moved into a two bedroom townhouse in the Casa del Sol Apartment complex on Houma Blvd. on July 3, 1974. I was 22 years old.

I met a lot of fellow apt. dwellers the day we moved in and we were invited to a 4th of July cook-out the complex was sponsoring the next day. Our townhouse faced the pool and the BBQ was set up next to our apt. There were a LOT of guys and girls out & about that summer day. Across the pool were the balconies of other town homes. I noticed this great looking guy talking down from the end balcony to friends near the pool. Lots of joking around. Then out of his sliding glass doors walked a really cute girl with a grey poodle in her arms. Hmmmm.....I thought. That's too bad.


Well, the party progressed and then it came time to line up for the BBQ! As it turned out I got in line right behind this gorgeous, out-going man with the cool mustache <=0.
There I was...holding a plate in my hands, when one of the guys serving the burgers calls out to this man in front of me..."Hey Bro... a bunch of us are going tomorrow night to hear Steve's band play at the Mark Twain." "Sounds good" he answered.......THEN TURNS AROUND AND SAYS TO ME..."Wanna go?" I thought...He didn't even know who was standing behind him....But...."Sure" I said!


So it was, that on July 5, 1974 Ken Braud, at age 27 and I had our first date! We've been going steady ever since and have loved every moment of it! He swears to this day that he DID know who was standing behind him.....and that cute girl and her poodle? Well....that was another person I have loved a long time, too. His sister, Cyndi."