Southern Living, Pt.6, My Last Year as a Coonass

OK, I'm back.
My last year as a Coonass was the 4th grade. I've told ya almost all the fun I had in Southern La., except fer a few memorable moments.
Lessee, I went into band in the 4th grade down there. I learned to play the trombone. This was mostly brought about by two friends of the family. Buster and Etta Nelmes. They were foster children of the Fosters. I always thought it was weird, people named Foster having "foster" children. Anyhow, Buster was a trombone player and looking at him as a Big Brother figure, I took up the trombone. Learnt to play it pretty well, I think. By the way, if anybody reading this happens to know Buster or Etta, I surely would like to communicate with them. They're bound to be in their late 60's or 70 by now!
Anyhow, I loved 'em dearly!
Lets see, we had a helluva hurricane that year! I don't remember the name of it. Might have been BECKY! We holed up in the General Store/Post Office where my Mama was working. My cousin Pete was visiting that summer. I remember getting back in the room where they kept bags of feed and such and building us a fort of sorts outta feed sacks. You could watch the walls of that old building rippling like water in the high winds. No crap, they rippled just like waves! It was a SCARY time. I member Pete needing to go to the privy, (toilet, outside) for you non initiated. I LOCKED him inside fer a while, til Mama made me let him out. Anyhow, after the storm, water was coming into the building, it was about 3 feet off the ground! Lots of rain fell. If any of you remember, that hurricane about wiped out Cameron, La. About 20 miles away. Killed about 50 people. But the water was up to my little scrawny neck down at ground level. Probably why they built the houses so high off the ground!
Nudder thang I remember was coming home from church one Sunday Night. We went to church at Big Cane Baptist Church. Must have been 10 or 15 miles from home. Anyhow we were going home after church one Sunday nite when my Daddy saw a guy walking along the road that he thought worked at the sawmill. He stopped to pick him up. As it turned out, this wasn't anybody Daddy knew, and he was as drunk as Cooter Brown! He told Daddy where he wanted to go and Dad said he'd take him. My Mama made me get in the front seat, and this old drunk leaned against the back of the front seat and commenced to talking and blowing his inebriated breath all over the front. Well, we had to pass our house in order to get where we were taking him and I remember my Mama telling Daddy to stop at the house for a minute. She went in for about 30 seconds and got back in the car. Back on the road, drunk against the back of the front seat, and Mama stuck the barrel of that ole .45 right up his nose! Told him to "Sit back in his seat, and we'd take him where he wanted to go!"
INSTANT SOBRIETY! This guy said,"Juss lemmee out lady and I'll walk from here!" "Nope", my Mama said , "You're in for the ride"
When we finally got to where that guy wanted to go, he SPRUNG from the back and LEAPED over a split rail fence! Funniest thing I have ever seen, bar none!
The Good Ole Days, no doubt!
Another thing I remember was swimming in the Mill Pond. That's where the water for the steam boilers came from. Anyhow, we'd go swimming in the mill pond. I usta wear a life vest when I got in. One Sunday afternoon, we weren't going swimming, but were walking around the pond, there was a little black girl out there swimming. Daddy said to me, "When are you gonna learn to swim?" I said, "I can swim now Daddy, watch!" I instantly stripped off and jumped in the pond! Nekkid as a jaybird!! Last time I wore the life jacket!
Unless I remember some old Louisiana stories, stay tuned for, "Southern Living, Pt. 7, Back to the Flatlands"
BTW, Sam, Alison and Casey, Yo Grandmaw never took crap off'n ANYBODY!!! So don't any of yall start!