Document text
fehrmary /5, 153t
34, 5. and Birdie Lee Atkin (reel manse)
Manieipal Trailer Gimp
Tampa, Florida
Lindsey 1. Bryan, writer
unedited
.!:1,17C11!E
On the mixed fringe of the trailer sump as aged and battered Meyer
eoegbed and messed to stop. It settled dejectedly in the sand, with flabby
tires and drooping feeders. httaohed to its roar was a mall howeseade house
treilor, armors accurately, a rourh tin shanty an wh,Alls.
7he driver, an angular and weathur.boaton man of perhaps 3h, in faded
blue overalls, got Art of thootAr nd peered hero ind there 4nder its bottom.
Soddenly his lour friars straightened an with alacrity. ie shook a mop of
ciaA4 beir out of big eyes, throw back his hosio, 4110 go*, lusty scat to the
peoullar, "hoyile•Beisesipeo," yell of the rlorida cowboy.
Than, gaging into far spews, he song offa■key in a robust out adenoidal
tenor'
°Pat a4ligoin wawa to Tampa tows
it *meg in tun uritehaa,
A pint 0 likker on ecuh ,44,--
A.aok onto yam ofear.e...wAteheeS
"Vey a aildsweed fishtia foais
an ia gonna rale. saw krew-1.
reotist, toctin, cattle, shootin
-.1embey from La Bello."
'hi lilting ditty ems sung to a tone something like that of "Axle."
latrigeed by the picture and *mod *Mete, the (meeting writer sniffed a
possible story and appreaokod the IMMO* As he drew soar vomanse voles
from inside the trailer quavered iu aild rebuke of the gingers
25983
"Jaydy, you hash up singin that hasty shag. rokee all think we're Tenkees."
Jaydy cot short his melody, and grinned andably as the prowling scribe
greeted bin ead revealed that he was looking for life histories for a book
about southern people.
4.40.11 I declarei" the trailerite mused. "Oe you write stuff to print in
books. Well, well! That swans like at soros kindan trude to work at. I sewer
thOUCht UT a body follerin that ter a nein. I read b tf4tA ,Ataisto it etas
about a an weed flobinsea Cruse*. Aut feller shore had Us set a tins as
that iulnd. AL, laughed and swat on:
"4011, I dint fitten to go in no book, but I Iowa hewn an raised a Plorldy
:Anacker. asetly in the made and swamps. But I hen up Smith ounce last June.
Jist ;sot back thin fur, thank the good Lewd. amiheadin tor Lee County.
Sy name altos Jo Do Abbin."
He Wad asked it the initials J. J. stood for, und replied ILrolys
"That's ow whole front name, Viet Jo Do 3ut people oulle me Joydy fa*
alert. lust sty maw one tine ehen I was a did if Jo kio mount sane ether nans.
aut she said no, she mood me jilt that, after he uncle, Jo a. .takes, snobs
never had no other saes. A right many fellers in Florio/yes hanged jist with
lettere thataesy."
*ohat did you do tap Aerte" the historymbaund queried, ua he accepted
Jaydes invitation te 'set down' boaide him on the rickety running beard.
"40 an the ale woman went off ep yonder to „Mmemtreit to it me a job in
0/0 Ann ford's history. as Mein a jackallog neehaais fun serkin round ears an
samills. hell, I gotta jab auttin for lost sin assths. bet get laid oft la
Deadassaber. So I Wilt as this little slit plates, troller, an is lit a Ohesk
tor Flortity.*
The etoryibumter egggested the trip north mesa have been a great
experience forJaydy,, and asked his how be liked it. 1te drawled
"le kinds, liked same ev it. 3ut it I'd a•staid up there I'd a...had
to till a whole passel o' Than Yankee niLgers habit i:etta
bitta answers. Aby, the blaek sons•e..buzsarde all at richt deem a
white men, in a street ear er any place. I get arrested twice ap there
far kick* the tar outs rtigk ere."
„eked *hat he had worked at in Florida, Jaydy pandered, as kw took
a knife from his pooket, whetted the lonc blade on his shoe und began
whittling a pine sticks'
"Ian, I reckon I've done neor about everthing. hewer etas no hand
ter eattlin down for long in one place. I epos°, that's why always ben
pore. jut by iyavy I've had a hof•pme fun in my tine," he chuckled, his
blue eyes twinkling reeiniseeatly.
'1`011,20 atriet y or life. I'll bet you've had a lot of adventures,"
wheedled the biography...beagle.
"zoll," he oackled again, "if you aim to putt me in a book I better
leave wt a lotta things I done, or they'll chunk me in the lei]. :1411110
tt:d t 1% tho key away. :44 if you don't print my right name hitell be
all rit,nt." This vae promised, and be uovtinueds
"I eus balm in 1963 oout ton miles outs Jade at,, but don't reeko4.
leek much till I started to Lahool in Ile :oter ads, alusty. Off as
on I had around three years sahoolin.
"Ahen I uws JIM ayearlin boy about 16 ay faaly mavod run e Soter
;minty to Hannertee (Manatee) ,:oenty. Up to than we'd ben raisin a few
hawg* an cows an dais a little fermis an etillin in De :titer an Glades
;aunty, on shares, mostly.
"JO hammertea Oevety we hardod cows a while, then went share.-
croppin down on iiawgraiis 31ough, back Brodentoen. ftaisin tomaters
salary, mostly. riut overtime we'd gitta crop good started, seemed like,
they'd emus a firm's*, ar drouth, or blight, or bugs, or sunpon, and kill
out near about everthing so had.
*Parts oor twenty aoroo sus peemore muck, ee deep an soft an dry
you cJuld stick a hoe hannel down in it clean up to the hoa. Cue fall
hit eaoght safire whew some oow men sot fire to the woods, it tusk vs
two days an nights to oaten it. 4o had to tote water in buckets fum the
well, boot a quarter Amu.
%it burst mighty nigh a acre, plum dam to hard pun, on the twenty
nex to *urn, after* els Jim Flails was formin. Vs holp him to outs* his,
an he 4olp as, but it took us an all our families to keep it fun spreadin
any furder.
*4'11, we **Admit hardly make our mod and fertilise a-farmin.
pow an as sat we wp a littlo still doom in the big hassock an went
to makin shine. as den* right good at that, Bailin to boctleggers in
Bradentown an Tampa, hat it tuck moot *11 we made to pay off the prehia
bilious agents for lottin us run.
After we'd ben there bout too years maw died with olaygry (pellagra).
Irian pew, the ale billy...teats went en marrimi a neighbor gal on; 14 years
olda-jist a littla tryinasise biddy, thoot no more sense an a peed gannet.
paw gain on 50 year old! ae traded her daddy six hafts on ten gallms•
a seine for the pesky brat. aftor they got married he brung her hems to
liva with us in our *I* shack.
*Ms an iteryaathat won my stator, a your yousgern as an the as; *Ulm
ybongun leftaawe fussed a plenty at paw farads slob a fool thing, bet
he wouldet pay on no mind.
%no time 1 come home t AM tali* a leade shim to tem, bed them I get
to the haws, heard a acefflin an a aereeakin inside. I run in, und thank
was that littla hussy ad.beatin ow dory with a tomato:, stash...wan ,cry too
skairt to fight back.
"1 was se mad X list twat her ever soh knee an spanked her heshiad till
she hollsrei lake ft stook pig. Aur heard or an Gann aw..renuin in foe the
'Oehler. ben he seen what I we dein he rat* op ma a shelf for his pistol
and tried to Shoat no. Byt I'd don* shot op all hiu t. 5..i nhontia at
snakes, se he tarot to an started to giume a piatolismeappin.
*I fit atm hack a abilet an A reckon I raight soolda shopped him; hat
jist naola4 off an knookad aim out with a jolt on the jaw. —ken no and
eel gathered up our olose an other plied or in a aroaus sacks au we loft
home for vod.
"I suer. hhtad to go off fun there, moss i 'es asvotio nice little
gal namsd Birdie Lee 4dgers over arnrest the slough. Her (hide) bsd gat reo.
liglon ex a ioly Aoller aeotins one he said i won toci ho-cotalt for her. He'd
done run ne off his Ohle with a aLotgoop but fte an her keg zooXin in the
woods rip,htan till i Left.
"4ell,us an urq walled all too gay to 3radentoun that niffit an staid
with kin folios.. I Mowed a coat oap'm tnere that was remain likkor in fan
an he as a jot um otos Wamt; Aostly lesain au uulus,din hams (meta)
we likker, an evestenhin mace a-lu kin :,ut for gavatini /oasts.
Nio had ea a good feat gas (truism, and we rua any at nitiAtt *hoot
lights, cimatimms theta uomot Eaardere ad pick as up with their smarm
ligotea an than they'd Imam away at as with their maciline.gune as little
ale eananms. kiss night a theriaah shall seat smask this our cabin, an
missed my bunk eny bout foot. aet they sever ketehad es. I did it pistola,
bit ana tins telon re vet fixin to land pone booze an a Aopty sheriff shot at
wog-. jiot a 36 slug the, muh
":-Aiolm !Job paid me good money, but spent it fast en ',lumen an gambits.
Were Jaydy loitered his votes oactioeely and east a vary aye toward the trolls
ors tram whonoe came the clatter of dishresming and A vAinnis ion voice hew.
mins or.mtentedly).
"Mem ,-.:ubian einnen La shore itot nahres," he nhiss:Arell avittJuslastieelly.
eitatir love you to death, sr stick a knife in you if ycu make em
joal000. 4 rockoleck one little ,pctish gal 1 hat ia havunaer.-•.-...Bet *husks,
1 heti:sr rot tell that," Ahd Jody chortled ma winked rocuishly.
*cmctines abet likker eta scarce in 4avouner relic SmAii1:., a load*
Aiinymen over on ark nit an putt an ftshore at some lonesome pito* PO the
Florio) acit. IAD al$Ot re notched over sloven heal us 441 at 40G a head.
Jo putt an off jiat afore day (loon oa Lemon -lay. Cap's :oh =uldet go no
clostor to aqore u bout half u atio, amuse the meter ruz &holler. 4e ma
thou pore .2:links jump overboort an wad. sWacru is scut five, fo.,tft eater.
haj 441 4 nla 2Cildh vun minim for un Shore to CAe an to :7109e. Rita a
wader eJkacw us en didn't zit droned.
"I wrote &isotopia time to birdie Lee whilst i les Watt:a, Out Amor
got il4 nutria fun ore se 1 titTered no mvets euit likin me, or either her
dutLy tot Cafe letters au nevor• aa to er.
"k;ne time ee tied our boat up at :ort Oysto for a col o (Lis to 04
thia =Ono fixed, an I decided to hop a tr-in an go op to sea Birdts Lee.
het so.ih 44) tolla I met ii'wootlartor itoweed, an las tole as they woe a gerraut
set ter Age's Job. igat ehalrt they might sLat me tea, se Iddbmtalled
right Data %horse an hitalle.hiked to Lama.
nese* 1 rum late Virgin alito, a feller 1 testa aawitast *Ulu Virgin
won a ',glass isle woods rut. As 'us Mix to 4is de m la tha T:vargladis sopa.
iteppin, an h* *it is to go in with lizt. I had aroJa4 46G wo me, se I !kelp
ain 4ay tha traps av ratlaus an a tento an we it at far 3ig 3yprons :jump.
fi&ored tua, loot a goo a )1e t3 Ad* oat If try had a wirrant for no.
'Waist* las planty that atnWril 4,.a *a ;at a Iatta ,idss...-aose, attar.
doors 3.44111, gutter, ba.r, an an* al p.inthore e7rinf, al hid atteui 4400
sutb.
4JC; tOiLi au Jlle 4X. jailara lurs un'I folt ?arty riah
with ail that honey barnin lt,1* in mah-britaha* pookot• 7at I hadn't had
AO Ian for i, lanost, Sc 1 uturteL zt luokin 14117 4/X4024 4% lakes., an a
aittIQ /b.Att. ,ki1 I f:und plunty-e, all tr: oram-opecially u Lig *rap
bo jo..%u :raInTd if 1 cuLle ,An a but iu that-ue, am 4 moluin
*vs ø1n, ultal Urals,»
The 71orido udiortvror lauglu:d ruofolly au he pcoae and luatted mar
to pick upi fresh pi2C, of 71:littling tLvbor. :ho buck of hia zonthared
novk prow /4,14 fAnotici; *04, 'it !1 ita crivatri Ltd ,„yeply snowed skis,
ou.kad in dialondinghoped patterna 10JJ rne Caigatar in. '-;u1u: wicks are
froosart ftson rarti lorldiana 'oho bun 'hod cArch of their 1:4vas exposed
tv lor, wald 5.nd wther.
.7"ron thl trall,Jr tOi ban; uf uwApping,
rathm .:W0e VD116 lifto4 in el::: Ad f;hurch
44t;i4 contImicA to Zi t e. ho c'ut oat t„ quid the a1se of a golf
ball and took a fresh ohlo !ran a Cllck pl. Than he reamed his story.
4,11. I decided Miami wessami no plass, for a peed happor like we, se
I bii tho hard read wImsalhin navih. I nem thanked e ride with a teller ow
thc aamou'il
-8-
a furniturc truck coin to ;akolnnd. .Wt we broke a axle sone place in the
woude in :olk ;.7,,,,nty, an 1 sta,tod aulkin uhead to calla g4r e aan to to
iii, in. I pilJnod for unto fun a fit in at A -in, an then kep un mnitin west.
"Goin thew the flatwoede a ale .,Urd coop ketched up with me, an drivin
it aux a sIl.ny red...hooded zonan LAit 4C years old. T thumbed or fore I
seen 450 wus a woman, but sho stoppsi a picked me up ary 'Aow. e at t,11
in, an tole or I wax 1,kin for a .eb. sAd she wuz e wI Jar woman
with a Oti-acri furm, an boodod alms to nelp run it. :c,id her :'lo in had
up an Aed on or a or back, an left or the fern an a flock -a tiCia, an
forty headaia catIle, an Me didn't Inow 1,im many haws tt“: Hopdo.
'he'd boon to t.:44n uftur rati.;na EL meal cawn; an apt meould a iro out to
her.
"1 tole or I didn't loan farul t14'Ain uc in till an a-
1ivin on Grite an hawg's vest .Jita the aettons n (r uw belly").
:.akod what was meant hi "from Hai till can't, Jaytly ens: --7,6 it T,la,.at
"fin the time you nee in tie Muwntl till yJii (ad) sea at nicht," and
proceededi
1,5ut shit lent over &Gin rae kind* Aanst, an wild if i'd cbaz an aerk
for her vouldn't nafte work moron eiLht ieura a day, an she'd EiLaw)JO
a $5,-...mth an board, with planty ham, au cnickea, an pie, an anytAxic ntae
wanted. I reckoned ane musta on kinaa had off for a an any 300, tila any
she kep vicuna up to me in the seat, an me ugly as a saint buzzard.
"Al0 11411 a namely ale varmint her oaf, with her baol tooth, an 1.anc
nose, an frookly neck. ant by them 1 wow so dad -blamed heagry y belly
aus growin boat to nuh baokbone, an me broke as a jaytird. o I tole or
I'd hire ,ut to er for a *tilos an maybe lancer.
ky toed (task we Got to her farm, bout a milt) back fon the road in a
Oaa,ock. he had a good house an stable, with a mules an plenty (thickens
come haves an cows in the yard pans. V I thought I might °sad ston it
a willies any how.
°-s we pulled up to the porch there wus a screeching on out poured five
ooadoe youngons, all eises fun kneed -high to a saplin boy about 1C --an all
their heeds so rod you (guilds lit a cigaretto on sm. ;hen they son me tnoy
all run ehind the house as peeked at me fum around the corners, eairt like.
AA 1 stA•ted makin funny ithOOL at co!, an doncin a jig, an they soon nude up
with me.
"all, the ole gol tuck me in an foa no up an booded no 'Joon, an I ous
treotod like o rich uncle fun then on. .1ter bouts seek actin road vitas
an boin pe.od a plenty, I sea to myeefg cies It °malt old doubleougly,
looks like y -u done wan yesef a too, on a Nay to boot. 5ut, thinks
this lady's ahore-nuff hard up for u man, takin the I kowet me to raise.'
hings racked along thutaway thee -four towhee hut fore lca:g 1 got to
meadin up with another gal dovn the road apiece. Oarried her to a peanut
bilin an a couplu frolics, on oich like. ESut %then the widder found it out
she ct,rted romoin on me an peetorin no to marry her. ell, I looked at them
Ouck tooth, an thou opkdk laigag an tnoaghta that litter aokida, an tole
or I wuszent no marryin man. Ands uut liko .1 already hob u tile in luby.
"Lit who kap dingodongin mo richt on, on said if I'd (lorry ter ahe.d
giamo half the farm an stock, an a hunnerd dollara to boot. Colt right
sorry for the tile dome, but couldn't stummick marryin her. 1 ovon swore
nod T. B., the ketehin kind, an tole sr all mg famly went crazy soon as they
got mor:ied, on had to be eont to Alattyh000hy. ut nuthin 1 said fazed her.
1 declare, she vus the hell-bent lot woman on gittin married I over sem.
"Finally she kep hen•peckin no till I got to visor I mos plum fed op, an
couldn't stun it no longer. 30 one day I drove her els Mover to town, makin
4•14:%**
out Ivics coin for scratoh food, an left the car thera an tuck 6 tmin for
sort ''eade. I'd already drawed a month's ',ogee, an abs owed me sore more,
but I never ust her for it.
"Back- a rort goads 1 gotta b woodwirldin for a teppentive (Plop, an
stuck at that bout a your, kin& cin ut gin. ihen 1 pett in t or or
ttm Jiwml'iin; worked as guurd on a chain gAlg; made shine ter bout your;
cow -hunted eon*, an dons a lotta other things till 1936.
i heart they was makin 'oig money raisin truck down in i'46 :;01,044,11
00 seat down there an rented me a piece.ft land an putt in a crop av tomaters
an bong. 'bat your I shoru nuide meet a kilAn. A.euned up ---sOLO ctisb
610120y
"Then I met a nize old gal Z'd nowed uhen we wus yaungatere. be wea.
tone fakes cloet to my farm. ,e11, we found out we liked each
other right much sit, so we got marrieJ nn kep on farmin for u *ale. X
still got her, an a little money, so wc mint so frightnin bad off. he's
got roligionthe kind, an she's shore a good woman. he's oven
get no rm,din the ibie a right smart, too.
INeA1 we're a -gain buck to 1,ee :.ounty and drive round till we find a
little farm at jist suite us. ..luen I'll buy it an settle don --maybe.
A this point the trailer door opened and a not, pleasant -laced little
woman with gruying Lobed hair leaned out. he plaeed two upreud Li eta
across her mouth, pureed her lips cud squirted out a hissing stream of snuti
jJico that it the greend with a smack. Jben she saw us, blushed, and smiled
a little sheepienly.
Iiey, old woman," Jaydy cackled, "this gempman's a book writer by trade,
an he's puttin me in a 000k. .,kiaddya think a-tbstl"
".114asee ti meet yen," she noe•ed end smiled, "but I hope yob won't
putt co in yer book too, with this olo raggedy frock on. I uint hud time to
do no eeshin no as left Alertroit."
erae wus net, cleen and prutty, if a little faded. writer
asked: re yao glad to get buck to Aorida, re. bbin
"1 snore um proud to be in :loritLy ugin. 1 wee raised heath, an so us
all my kin people. if i'd-a hud my c,ruthers we wouldn't einsent of: up there.
I drutier u-stuid down here. Ast Joydy vvrAcW to go." it brbws eyes beumed
on _ILL, au 8113 continueds
"I met some cighty nice token up there, but their vittiou z..int fitters to
eat. ohy, then Yankee sterekeepers don't eves know what grits is, net turnip
6reens, nor nutlet. I'm sP.ocoakin a mosseiel haslet now. Ascii loves it too."
eaglet, it wed explained, coneiets of the lungs and liver of a *L.
cede intt a kind of stew).
_nor a little further c,nverantions the miler mid Lood:ye to the
couple, ene wes cordial invited to "cone mak," and to vieit them on their
farm when they got settled. -8 ho talked away, Jaydy called after him:
"sly„ mister, I aimed to tell you, but I foriet--Tnie here's thet Arai('
Lee I WjZ tellin you tut."
te pettwo her arm arid grinned proudly.
J !:CAimi'In twenty yeers of frequent centect with rural natives
of :bride, the writer hue observed that they are far from consistent in their
use of native peculiarities of epeech. This is probably due to nest of them
having aseoeieted for periods with northern people and with better educated
rieridiens.
1=or example, a "C;racker" will sometimes say "hit" for "it," and at other
tines pronounce the word correctly. Aso, he nay either articulate his r's
or slur them in using the puns words at different tines. He may at times
say "ale or NM" for NW ár use the word correctly. The sane inc:reetoncy
prevails in the use of all other words and phrases. Therefore, the in-
consistencies of speech in "Jaydes" recital as chronicled here should be at-
tributed to literal recording instead of careless writing.