Monday, I spent almost five hours in a courtroom in Amite.

I was interested in a friend of mine’s case. The courtroom was full, with standing room only. We arrived early and were able to find a seat on the back row.

In the process, I met a lot of people, including a few from LaPlace.

During a court recess, a middle-aged man in front of us heard us mention LaPlace and turned and asked me if I knew Mike Scioneaux of Reserve.

After I acknowledged that I did, he told me he played football with Mike at Southeastern.

He said that he knew Bobby Duhe from Destrehan, who was also on the team.

The man’s name was Alan Klein from Loranger. He said that Mike was really good!

“How about you, Alan, were you any good? That’s all he needed to hear.

“I made All-American!”

He was a linebacker and you could feel the excitement he had when talking about football. He smiled and said, “They called me “The Governor!”

Jokingly, I said, “I saw you play. You really weren’t that good!”

He laughed and said, “When you see Mike, ask him about me. After football, I also boxed and wrestled professionally.”

As we were about to leave, I asked if I could pray with him. He agreed and then shared that he is now a Christian and was baptized 10 months ago.

Wednesday, I happened to see Mike and he said, “Yes, ‘The Governor’ was very good!”

“How did he get to be called “The Governor?”

“The name started because when he was in the game, he controlled the line of scrimmage. He played with a passion.”

Mike continued, “I remember after a game “The Governor” was voted the outstanding defensive player and I was voted the best offensive player. It was customary for Don’s Seafood to honor the outstanding players and their guests with a meal of their choice.”

“The Governor” said, ‘I’ll make them remember me.’

“For an appetizer, he ordered a seafood platter. For his meal he ordered the biggest steak on the menu. There were four choices for dessert and he said, ‘I’ll take one of each and then asked for a to-go box.’”

I really didn’t look forward to spending the morning in a courtroom in Amite, but Alan “The Governor” Klein made it something special.

If you have any questions or comments, please write to Harold Keller at Get High on Life, P.O. Drawer U, Reserve, LA 70084, call 985-652-8477 or e-mail hkeller@comcast.net.