Coooooweeeeee, Else! You know how I love that Cajun shtuff!
One of my favorites is the Cajun Mama's letter to her son.....I first read it back in the mid-70's, but its' been revised and is quite tamer now, so I did a little editing on the copy I found on the internet to include some things they got wrong....and to jazz up the Cajun lingo a lil bit...heheheh
Dear T-Paul:
I'm writin' dis letter slow 'cause I know dat you cain't read fas. We don't live where we did when you lef. Your Papa read in da paper dat most accidents happen within 20 miles of da house, so he moved. I cain't send you da address 'cause da family dat lived here took da numbers for der nex house so dey wouldn't have to change dey address.
Dis place has a washin' machine. Da first day I put 4 shirts in it, pulled the chain and have not seen dem since.
It only rained twice this week, three days da first time and four days da second time. An' da wind blew so hard, da hen laid da same egg three times!
Da coat you wanted me to send you, well your Aunt said it would be a little too heavy to send in da mail wit da heavy buttons, so we cut 'em off an' put 'em in da coat pocket.
About your father, he has a new job. He has over 500 men under him, he is cutting da grass at da cemetery. About your sister, she had a baby dis mornin'. I don't know if it's a boy or girl. So I don't know if you are a uncle or an aunt.
All three of your friends went off da bridge in a pickup truck. One was da driver and da other two were in da back. Da driver got out, he rolled down da window and he swim to da river bank. Your other two friends drowned 'cause dey couldn't get da tailgate down.
Your uncle John fell in da whiskey vat. Some men tried to get him out but he fought 'em off so he drowned. We cremated his body an' it burned for three days.
Not much more news dan dis, nuttin' much happened. Write more often or more times dan you do.
Love,
Mama
P.S. I was fixin' to send you five dollah, but I done licked da stamp.
