Butte La Rose et Les Entourage

Photo by: The Teche News

Bonjour.
Felicitation (congratulations) à Lacie Savoie from Catahoula! She is a registered nurse and recently received her nursing directorship at Lafayette General Surgical Hospital in Lafayette. All of that and she is only 24. Bonne chance ‘tite fille.
Ike was a tough storm. The hurricanes and the Gulf of Mexico own this swampland and every now and then they come together on shore to reclaim what man has borrowed from them. We make our living from the swamp and water we borrow: fuel, fish, water, soil and so much more. People work hard and build their homes and businesses along the beautiful productive Gulf.
When I was running trucks I’d make deliveries at those refineries around Beaumont, Galveston, Port Arthur and Houston. There are refineries and chemical plants everywhere. Look all around when you are driving the overpasses and these plants are endless. Lots of Cajuns work there. The Cajun song written by Willie Broussard in the 1940s “Brasse Dan L’couch Couch” tells it well. He say’s he’s moving to Texas where a big refinery job is waiting for him and he tells his girl friend to pack her bag and bring her couronne (veil) and they’ll marry in the morning when they arrive in Texas.
I’d make deliveries to a Fina refinery south of Beaumont and on my way there I’d swing by and park my rig at Websters Meat Market in Cecilia to buy gratons for the men at the refinery. They knew in advance when I’d be coming with a delivery.
Gladys and Fred Coy high-tailed it to Brookhaven, Miss., for Gustav, spending their first night sleeping in a Wal-Mart parking lot. They felt safe there because there was lots of security. A guardian angel came along and booked them at a motel. She didn’t want the glory, but her name was Allison.
Forest and Sue Peltier stayed home and took in family members. We prayed and thanked God for all our blessings, Sue said.
Janice Bourque and I were talking recently about when Merle Haggard and his sidekick Bonnie Owens and his entire entourage would stop in Breaux Bridge while passing through. We’d jam under the trees. Can you imagine I jammed with The Hag! I could not get my eyes off of him because of the miracle of me sitting across from him. It was God’s will that He saw me worthy of becoming friends with Merle. Those memories money can’t buy and only God can take away.
I sang Kitty Wells’ song “Release Me” in English and French and he was so impressed he’d never heard a Cajun woman sing before. He sang “Okie from Muskogee” and I answered with “Proud to be a Cajun from Church Point,” same tune. He loved it. Janice still gets a kick over that.
His band members are talented beyond words. Abe Manuel, member of the Mode Band and fiddler for Merle, is from Creole which was hard hit by Hurricane Rita.
Another time, playing the Texas Club in Baton Rouge, Merle called for me and Vickie Melancon to meet them there. We did and I was so proud when he invited me on his bus to talk. Another time when Merle played a rodeo in Hammond and his wife Theresa called and said Merle invited me to go meet with them. I did!
Dieu bènir! Amitié!
Cousine Hélène