Chapter 5 The Ride

Marie paddled her pirogue in the drizzling rain all the way to Houma. From there the plan was to leave it for Armon to pick up later. She would walk to US 90 and then hitch a ride to New Orleans. Marie had not thought about the gas rationing and that there might not be much travel on the highway. "It don' madder if I hav to walk all de way to New Orleans I'm goin' to git dere." Marie said aloud trying to build her own confidence.

Just then she saw a dark blue 1939 Studebaker coming towards her. This is it, Marie thought. She stuck out her thumb and stepped closer to the pavement in her bare feet.

"Hey Tom ,what's that up yonder in the road; looks like a drowned Nutria. You know one of those damn big rats they have in these swamps." Bill laughed.

"No, I think it's a girl." Richard said.

"Yeah, I think it is. I'm going to stop." Tom replied. "Bill, roll down your window. Hey girl, you needin' a ride?" Tom asked.

"Yes, I do." Marie ran up to the door and looked in. Inside she saw three young navy boys in their white uniforms. She didn't know anything about service men but she had to take a chance; this might be the only ride that came along today and it was a long fifty seven miles to New Orleans if she had to walk all the way.

"Get out Bill and let this little lady scoot right on over here beside me." Tom motioned to Bill with a sweeping gesture.

Bill slid out and Marie slid in between the two young sailors.
"Whoa girl! You are soaking wet. You been out in this rain all morning?" Bill asked.

Richard from the backseat piped in "Well, I don't mind a little water little girl...you can come sit back here with me."

"No, she's just fine where she's at; you're too much of a wolf to let this fine little lamb sit with you." Tom replied smiling. "Where you going and what's your name?" Tom looked over at Marie.

"Marie, my name is Marie. I'm goin' to New Orleans to git a job."

"Well, there sure is a lot of work for women now." Bill chimed in. "Hey, you probably can get a job in Avondale. They have a shipyard there. My uncles' wife has worked there since the war began. She lives in Bridge City not too far from the yards."

"Avondale is on our way, we'll be going right through it on our way back to the base in New Orleans. We'll drop you off at the yard." Tom said.

"Merci, thank you, thank you very much." Marie replied.

"You got any money, girl?" Richard asked.

"What the hell you asking her that?" Bill interjected.

"I just wanted to know. It doesn't look like she has much money. You guys might not ever have guessed it, but I've been down on my luck before. I know what it's like to be broke with no job and no where to stay." Richard said. "Here I've got a sawbuck you can have; no strings."Richard reached across the seat and handed her the ten dollar bill. "What about the rest of you lugs...got any money?"

Tom and Bill both dummied up a sawbuck each from their pockets.

"That'll give you at least enough money to get a few meals and board til you can get that first paycheck" Richard said.

"Man, I never knew you were such a kind sort." Bill teased.

"I don't let you guys know all my business." Richard settled back in his seat and pretended to go to sleep.

The Studebaker got quiet as Tom drove the rest of the way to Avondale. Marie couldn't believe how lucky she had been to hitch a ride so soon and with these nice sailors. She wondered if all sailors were this nice. Soon the quietness of the car and the motion lulled her to sleep. She awoke abruptly when the car stopped.

"Wake up Marie, we're in Avondale, end of the road for you." Tom said shaking Marie.

"Oh, I must hav fell asleep." Marie woke rubbing her eyes. "Thank you so much, all of you for being so kind to me."

Richard roused himself and sat straight up in the back seat and looked Marie full in the eyes. "Just one little thing little lady...don't you EVER take another ride with three sailors again. You hear me, we ain't all nice guys. We could have raped and killed you and no one would have been the wiser. You remember what I'm telling you."

"I will, I will, I promise." Marie got out of the car. "Thank you again."

"Goodbye little girl." Tom and Bill joined in.

Then they were gone as fast as they had appeared. Marie stood looking down the highway and thought maybe they weren't real...maybe three angels were sent by God to help her. But no they weren't angels. She looked down to her hands at the three real ten dollar bills. More money than she had ever seen at one time in her life. "I'll be okay." She said aloud to herself. "Now I just got to git myself a job."

Across the highway Marie could see the large black and white sign with 'Avondale Marine Ways' painted in blocked blue letters. The office was a smallish white board building in front of the chain link fenced off yard leading to the huge metal and wood building of the shipyard. Marie sat down on a large rock beside the road and put Mr. Terrebonne's old worn boots on; smoothed her now dried flour sack dress and started out for the office.

"Whatcha want little lady?" a very fat bald man sat behind a very small desk just inside the door.

"I'm looking for a job." Marie replied sheepishly. "Are you hiring?"

"Well, it depends. How old are ya?" the man behind the desk opened a drawer and got out an application. "Sit down here and fill out this application. I'll need to see your social security card."

"I'm seventeen and I don' know what is dat security thang you ask about." Marie replied.

"You got to have a social security card before you can work young lady. You'll need to take your birth certificate down to the government offices and they'll issue you a card so you can work."

"I'm sorry mister but I don' hav one of those birth thangs either. I was born at home in LaFourche Parish the oldest of my mama's children."

"Well missy, it seems we can't even think about hiring you until you get your paperwork in order. Come back when you do."

Marie left the office and walked out onto the highway again. I'll git myself to New Orleans; dare will be work for me dare. She thought to herself. She stuck out her thumb and began to try to hitch another ride.