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New Life In An Old Pair Of Boots

Hazel Meaux '77 February 23, 2019 3:52 PM updated: February 25, 2019 10:36 AM

Texas A&M Corps of Cadets senior boots (Association file photo by Mike Smith)
Texas A&M Corps of Cadets senior boots (Association file photo by Mike Smith)

Hazel E. (Campbell) Meaux '77, who graduated from Texas A&M in 1977 with a bachelor's degree in educational curriculum & instruction, wrote the following essay in 2016 about recovering the senior boots of her husband, Lamont Meaux '67, an industrial distribution graduate.

New Life In An Old Pair Of Boots

By Hazel Meaux '77

Nineteen years ago, I came home from a political campaign. I was worn out and needed rest. I stopped by the local package store to buy a bottle of Old Crow and go home for a drink. Joe Parigi ’67 wanted me to meet one of his ol’ Aggie classmates. He thought he was perfect for me. We both loved politics and we were both Aggies.

Every time I went to see Joe, it was the same story: I needed to meet this guy. I was just trying to figure out what to do with the next phase of my life. I went to the next Beaumont A&M Club meeting and obviously Joe had arranged for me to meet Lamont.

Sometime later we started dating, and in one of the conversations I heard he had sold his Aggie senior boots. I could not fully understand why someone would sell their senior boots. My father had my brother's senior boots displayed in his office, and then when he retired they were in our home, always by an American flag. You would have thought they were my dad's. He was just as proud of them as my brother. 

Back in 1967, however, it was not unusual to sell your boots. Lamont needed money to get back to Stowell, south of Winnie, and get married. After that he was headed to Vietnam. So, selling his boots was a tough decision, but he did not need them where he was going. He could not even remember who he sold them to. He was more worried about getting married and making it home alive from Vietnam.

I asked Lamont one time if he remembers who bought his boots. He said Joe Markham ’71 might know who bought them. Lamont had been in the Aggie Corps of Cadets with Joe’s brother. I knew Joe from the A&M club when I lived in Beaumont. I called Joe, and he told me about Harold “Harry” Harvey '71.

I looked in my Directory of Former Students book and found Harry. Back then I did not have a computer, much less access to the internet, but I called information. That is what you did back then. You dialed “0” for operator and asked for information. Then you told the lady operator the city and then the name. I got Harry’s phone number and called him. I told him who I was and wanted to get to know if he wanted to sell me his boots. I wanted to surprise Lamont for our first Christmas together.

Harry seemed nice enough, but he couldn’t part with those beloved boots. I would never give up on trying though. One year Lamont and I were in Governor Rick Perry’s office and, noticing his Aggie senior boots in a beautiful wood and glass case, I told him I found Lamont’s boots but they weren’t for sale. The governor offered to help me in any way. But I said no, when the time is right it will happen—hopefully, before Lamont died.

One time I asked Harry to make sure, if something happened to him and if his kids did not want the boots, to call me. I kept a book with Harry’s information in case something happened to me; hopefully Lamont’s sons would continue the effort.

So every year I would call Harry. A couple years he waited to see if his grandsons would go to A&M. Then I got his email address. Then I would email him. For the past 18 years, he just couldn’t part with those boots. I fully understood.

In August 2015, I emailed Harry, telling him Lamont was going to be 70 years old and I wanted to surprise him. He wrote back. “You are wearing me down. Maybe, Christmas?” At least I had hope.
On Dec. 6, I got the nerve to email Harry. I told him I had mixed feelings about asking him, but maybe we could work something out? He responded, “The Boots are yours…no charge! Merry Christmas!”

Harry had kept them in a trunk in his barn. When he went to get them, water had leaked in and ruined all his A&M mementos. He emailed me how bad he felt about the shape the boots were in. He even glued one of the heels back on. I didn’t care; I was sure they weren’t that bad.

I was so excited. I could not believe, after 18 years, it was going to happen. I wanted to tell someone, but didn’t want the word to get out. I had the boots mailed to my friend, Belinda. That way Lamont would not see the box and guess what was inside. He knew I was always trying to get them.

I emailed another friend, Karen, so if I died, she would know how to get the boots to Lamont. I had them gift-wrapped and kept hidden behind the bed in a spare bedroom. I just could just imagine someone breaking into our home and stealing all the wrapped Christmas presents.

I nearly made myself sick. One day I heard a siren. In our small town, we don’t hear that very often. I thought, Lamont don’t get in a car wreck before you get these boots. Christmas would not get here soon enough for me and those boots.

Finally, Christmas day, we were all unwrapping our presents. I told Lamont’s two daughters-in-law to film Lamont opening this special present. I told them what it was.

As he was unwrapping the box, he saw the return address and froze for a few seconds. He knew what he was holding in his hands. He opened it and looked inside. The first thing he did was look inside the boots to see his name, Lamont E. Meaux, stamped into the leather. They were the right boots. The ones he never thought he would see again. The ones he sold 48 years ago. I know he was choked up, and I saw him fighting back tears, but I was so happy to hear him say, “They’re home.”

Lamont had his boots fixed up at the boot shop and they look great. I have promised to take Harry and his wife to an Aggie football game in the new Kyle Field. I can’t wait to meet Harry. Now my new problem, how can I ever top that Christmas gift?



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