I graduate high school in June of 1965. I started working at Brooklyn State Hospital as an orderly soon thereafter.
I was assigned to take care of 7 men with advanced stages of Huntington's chorea, I had no idea what that was (I would soon learn very much about Huntington’s) but I thought I knew the name Woody Guthrie. He was that guy Bob Dylan sang about. If Dylan thought he was neat I had to find out: first, is this man the real Woody Guthrie, and second was Dylan right. You see I was 17 years old and possessed all the depth of knowledge available to any 17 year old, and I knew it!

I worked with and lived with your dad five days a week for eight and a half hours a day. That was more time than I spent with my own dad at that time in my life.

We shared a pack of cigarettes. I didn’t smoke, but I lit the up for him. When I could I spent a good deal of time just sitting and talking to him, mostly about my problems, and what should I do. Conversation took a long time. He had a Ouija board and early on in the relationship could spell out his thoughts. He seemed to enjoy his time with me as much as I did with him,

He helped me make the decision to get out of the dead end job of being an orderly and go back to school. I had an offer to go to nursing school at that same hospital.

Soon after my leaving to go to school, your dad was moved to a private hospital. I then heard he had passed on. I knew it would not be long, for he seemed so much weaker at the end of the year that I had known him. But the memories were for the most part fond and very insightful. I learned much from this very intelligent man that was your father.

My wife and I have chosen to spend a week in Oklahoma City to vacation and geocache, and by the way to see you in concert at the Blue Door on Thursday March 8th. It would be an honor and privilege if I might shake your hand and tell you how much your father had influenced my life.

Larry Lauer

Mr. Lauer, your story about taking care of Woody at Creedmoor is amazing. I feel certain the folkslinger will try and get in touch with you.


mikey

That is such a neat story! Welcome to the site!

Thanks Mikey.
I don't want to misrepresent. I was with Woody for the year I worked in Brooklyn State Hospital. He was moved out to Creedmoor for many reasons some of which had to to with his worsening condition.

It was as I started nursing school I found out he had passed. Forty five years later, I am a Nurse Anesthetist.

What do you think Woody would have said if he had known his and his son's music would be played in an operating room during surgery. Music choices come from the head of the table in my OR

The Thursday concert was fantastic, all I had wished and hoped for. All the great songs, a few obscure old ones you just remember on the tip of your tongue. Son and grand son at his sides.

The only negative, I did not reach Arlo with my message before the show. On the day of the concert he appeared way to busy to approach with my personal needs.No problem there

The blue Door had approximately one hundred seats, not a bad seat in the house, but Anni (Wife) and I had the best. Second row center aisle. We sang all the way back t the hotel

Larry