I think my wife believes I'm part of the Witness Protection Program.
She's from Baltimore, and I'm from Texas. I've spent time with her family in Maryland and have met some long-time family friends and even some high school and college classmates. My wife's met members of my extended family, mostly at my Aunt Dorothy's beach birthday parties (yea, Bolivar!) or at weddings and funerals; and, although she's visited Port Arthur, she's never heard anyone say, 'I knew George when . . . .'
I grew up in Port Arthur, which for those of you not from 'round here, is about 90 miles east of Houston, 10-15 miles from the beach, and a quick drive 'cross the river' to Louisiana. Except for a high school friend now married to my ex-wife, she's never met high school or college friends from my life in Port Arthur. As a result, she must think that I made it all up and that I'm hiding from . . . well, somebody. Upside . . . at least I'm important enough to have to hide.
So, who cares?
As my kids have grown older and are beginning to leave home, I'm more disappointed that they've never connected with their heritage (my mother's was born in Jeanerette, Louisiana, and grew up in Port Arthur; my dad's from Mayfield, Kentucky, and moved to Texas after World War II).
Tell my kids that they're Cajuns -- coon-asses to some -- and that boudain, dirty rice and gumbo are heavenly delicacies (sorry, I'm not a crawfish fan), and they'll look at you like you're . . . well, just about as out of touch as their dad. I left Port Arthur right after college, didn't look back and didn't visit much, and before I knew it -- after I realized that my kids thought Cajun was a chicken sandwich at Wendy's -- my parents were old and soon died.
We live in suburban Fort Worth and have no family within a six-hour drive; no family that my kids know well within the two-day drive to Baltimore (don't cry for me, Evangelina; we have friends here from all over the country . . . all over the world actually, some we've known since our arrival in Fort Worth in 1990).
If you're still with me, you're asking what's set me off?
1) Nobody in my family will eat boudain or gumbo. Dirty rice is out of the question, just on name alone.
2) I Googled "'Port Arthur' and 1974" last week, and found the blog site of a former high school classmate who I knew but not well. We chatted (why couldn't any of us be that interesting in high school?), and she closed with 'Good luck finding other TJ classmates.'
I realized that I sounded like I was looking to re-live the 'glory days (or in my case, the gory days) of high school. In reality, I think I'm Googling for that recipe to mend the disconnect between our Chili's-Home Depot-Staples-Target-Dillards (and a bunch of teen-trendy. one-word-name mall stores) suburban lifestyle and our diluted Cajun heritage.
By the way, did you know that in Baltimore they steam their seafood and not deep-fry it? After rassling for a couple of ounces of crab meat, I ask for a cheeseburger.
So . . . know any good Cajun recipes? And if you know me, but don't know anybody named Corleone (remember the Witness Protection Program? . . . oh, come on; it wasn't that bad!), holler at me.
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4 comments:
I don't have much use for the "gory" days myself. :) I'm actually amazed, when I occasionally attend class reunions, that some of our classmates really are still stuck in the '70s.
Guess what...my dad's parents are from Jeanerette!!!!!!! I would be you money, we're related somehow. I also work with a lady whose mom was raised in Jeanerette. Small town...small world.
Regarding the Cajun heritage, I'm glad you're trying to revive it in your kids. Sounds like you need to take a little roadtrip to south Louisiana.
Regarding recipes, they're all in my head cher (prounounced sha).
WOW..anyones parents still remember the depot in Jeanerette? My mother was the depot agent there for 20 years..Sad she has been gone for 10 years..Me at age 53 too stupid to listen and find out exactly what railroad she worked for or exactly where the depot stood.Most don't even remember the depot at all let alone my mom.. and well its sad..My mother loved Jeanerette..Got to laugh about the dirty rice and crawfish..man you just don't know what you are missing..You call your kids cajun.. Can you tell me just what the defintion is of a cajun? I thought you actually had to be Acadian descent to be cajun..now anyone that lived in south Louisiana can be classified that I suppose I am too lol
Not much Cajun about the surname 'anonymous.' Mais merd! My mother's maiden name was Domingue and her mother's was Boudreaux. How old were you when you two-stepped at your first fais do-do? Do you still have your copy of Harry Choates' Jole Blon?
But I've never lived in South Louisiana (will Port Arthur do?). Actually, I appreciate your comment. I'm very familiar with a lot of that 'why-didn't-I-pay-more-attention' stupidity. I own several T-shirts.
Enjoy the holidays!
hehehehehe George.. sounds exactly like me.. rank number one and think I hold the title for stupidity .lol.. anyway was going to ask since your mother's name was Domingue I knew two twin brothers named Ted and I can't seem to remember the other ones name but their grandfather I think delivered me in the St Martinville infirmary. Wonder if their is any relation.They were from Breaux Bridge
not sure the spelling but well they were maybe a year older..Got to be curious.. Think everyone is related to everyone down there and I say that in a nice way.You have one over on me and well although not cajun im accused of it a lot in Colorado..I miss the southern part of Louisiana .You see we were displaced from Gretna because of Katrina. I got tired of all the warnings wantings warnings and was in Camile in 69 in Bay St Louis ground zero..Didn't want to face another one like that..so we decided after all the kids spread all over the country to start over that we would just head north..Fortunate for us we had bought land several years ago here ,for what Ill never know but we are happy here, as happy I suppose you could ever be, but we miss south Louisiana .. and funny I should say that I remember a time when I loathed Louisiana but now nothing will never be the same.We call the last real wild frontier home .. a place that most has never heard of almost like in another dimension,and we miss our ferns,banana trees and our tropicals.. and well the fishing the lakes ,the bayous and the ocean and the alligator and crawfish and blue crab but we still order from New Orleans couple times a year all we can eat again till next year. But then again in Louisiana we didn't go hunting in our backyard for antelope or elk or deer and stray coyotes nor see bobcats and eagles and mountain lions and bears oh my most of the time.I thought Louisiana wildlife was superb, but Colorado's runs a fair second in abundant wildlife..not only in the woods but im talking about wondering across your property ..But we do miss our homes in south Louisiana and always will.. Guess thats life.Thanks for your comments and it wasnt my intention to make you mad..I was just trying to get some feedback.By the way thanks for the email and the link, You are very kind and its nice that you have a heritage there to cling to.Mine although being Louisiana is mostly Hindes 57 ,a mixture with strong English and Scandinavian blood lines mixed with Indian and what have you lol.. Anyway cling to your heritage and try the cuisine ,..lol everybody else has..Take care George and thanks again
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