Southeast Texas Medical Associates, LLP James L. Holly, M.D. Southeast Texas Medical Associates, LLP


Letters - Where, When and How Carolyn and I met
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Where, When and How Carolyn Bellue and Larry Holly met

It was October, 1962, in a speech class at Northwestern Stste College (Now NorthwesternState University).  Carolyn was 19 years old and I?  I was 18!  Yes, I am married to an older woman!

We were assigned to give a speech with a visual aid -- remember, fundamentally, a visual aid is defined as something  you can see!!  On the day we remember meeting, I attended class in my usual state of unpreparedness.  Ok, ok but there were eight students ahead of me in the alphabet. There was NO WAY we could have nine speeches in a single class. I was safe.

What I forgot was that our professor -- Mr. Graham -- and I had a love/hate relationship.  I loved him and he hated me!!  My mistake was that I had nothing in my possession that he could see -- remember the definition of "visual."  With his observation of nothing visual, he concluded correctly that I was unprepared. Therefore, he called on me.

Disaster!  Two choices:  something or nothing. No matter how inadequate something was, it was better than nothing!  So, I stood up; whereupon, Mr. Graham straightened up as if to say, "what is he going to do?"   My last thought was a speech; I needed a visual aid. Remember, that meant something that could be seen.

The rules where that you could not use the blackboard.  But, after a panicked survey of the room the only moveable object I could "see" was a piece of chalk. Remember, no blackboard. As I quickly picked up the chalk, I turned to the class. Mr. Graham had his Hand up to tell me that I could not use the blackboard.

Before he could speak, I took three quick steps to the front of the class and ceremoniously tossed the chalk into the air. I had a visual aid, everyone saw it!!  Now, all I needed was a speech. 

As the chalked crumbled and rolled across the floor, I asked, "What made that chalk hit the floor?"  I answered my own question, "You think it was gravity, but it really was 'the little green people.'"  I continued, "they live in the air and they are cleaning their home." I of course discovered one in my pocket      I explained that those who did not believe could not see them.

After a fifteen minute speech, I sat down. After the class, we were given Mr. Graham's assessment. I had an A- with a question mark beside it. I asked why the question mark?  He affirmed that it was an excellent speech but he wanted to know when I prepared it. I shrugged and walked out of the class  room. Carolyn remembers the story just like this. But, the story is not over.

Three weeks later, we were to give an extemporaneous speech --  you stood in the front of the class; Mr. Graham gave you a topic and off the top of your head, you had to give a speech on that topic. You may recognize, as Mr. Graham suspected, that I had already done that.

Mr. Graham gave the the topic of "the alarm clock." Before "-ock" was out of his mouth, I said, "In 1786, in Philadelphia, Pennslyvania, John Smith conceived of combining an alarming device with a timing device to create the first alarm clock."  Mr. Graham interrupted me and said, " Stop, Stop, Stop.  You know too much about alarm clocks!"   I started laughing and he said, "You made all that up?"  I nodded and the redness of his face reflected both his blood pressure and his furry. 

That is where and when I met my wife, 54 years ago.

James L. Holly, M.D.
Former CEO, SETMA
Jholly@jameslhollymd.com
www.jameslhollymd.com
409 504-4517
Adjunct Professor
Department of Family and Community Medicine UT Health San Antonio Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long School of Medicine