Fred Astaire of Bounce

We’re at the tail end with this picture of Babe and his family. Roger, the world traveler, Leslie Stephens with her son Jake, Gerry and Babe. Babe’s given name is Leslie Earl (after two of my dad’s brothers and he has followed DuPont from Barksdale to Eveleth, Minn. to Morris, Ill. The plant has changed ownership a couple of times in recent years, but Babe continues to work for the new owners. Roger is a troubleshooter of sorts for a computer company, and Leslie works for Daytons. They both live In Bloomington, Minn., the home of the big mall.

I was in the navy the last two years of Babe’s high school career, but I do know he broke his arm playing football, and also that he reigned over the high school prom as king. What I remember most, though, is his amazing skill on the dance floor, a regular Fred Astaire of bounce. I was in the crowd several times at Washburn taverns when women, young and old, lined up to get the next dance. The dance floor expertise has not diminished with age because Babe won a bottle of wine for some fancy footwork at Mary Kay’s wedding.