Chapter 5-New Orleans Bound

Marie paddled her pirogue in the drizzling rain all the way to Houma. The soggy gray moss drooped eerily from the trees. Large green frogs sang in chorus for more rain. Marie was sad and excited all the same time. It wasn't the dark swamp that scared her. It was the thought of going to town where there would be so many strangers. For the first time in her life, she felt really alone. It had been hard at home dealing with her step-dad but she had always had her mother and siblings to watch her back. Now, she would face a whole new way of life.

The plan was to leave the pirogue in Houma for Armon to pick up later. She would walk to US 90 and then hitch a ride to New Orleans. The highway had been deserted all morning.

"I bet the gas rationing has everyone staying home. It don' madder if I hav to walk all de way to N' Orleans I'm goin' to git dere." Marie said aloud trying to build her confidence.

The rain came down in sporadic drizzle then downpours until late morning. She continued to walk with her head down into the rain. Finally, the sun shone through the dark clouds and the temperature warmed. She could feel the steam coming off the pavement. The sunshine felt good on her face and she began to hum "Jolie Blonde" in French and then English while waltzing down the slick highway.

"Jolie Bonde, jolie fille tu m'a quitte pour t'en aller"

"Lovely blond, lovely girl, you left me to go away"

Suddenly, she felt something hit the back of her head hard. "What was dat?" Marie exclaimed. She felt something oozing down the back of her head. A quick feel brought back blood on her fingertips. At first ,she was dazed, and then she saw the amber Budweiser bottle lying in front of her on the blacktop.

"Hey, swamp rat! Whatcha doing out of the swamp?" A teenage boy taunted.

A brightly painted jalopy had pulled up beside her and she could see two boys in the front seat.

"You want a ride, girlie. We'll give you a ride," another teen sneered.

"Naw, I don't want no Nutria, swamp rat, sitting in my car." The driver laughed.

Marie stood frozen for a moment, "No! I don't want no ride, you boys better git or I'll take my pistol out of dis poke and blow yer heads clean off you. Git!"

The driver spat a stream of dark Beech-Nut tobacco and it oozed down his door. "You jest thank you gonna scare us lil girl."

"Yous better be scared you por white boys. I'll kill ye both with one shot."

Another beer bottle flew past Marie's left shoulder spilling the remnants of beer onto to her dress. "I'm a not jokin'...you better git!"

The boys laughed and sped away.

Marie knew she didn't have a gun in her bag. She was glad her bluff had worked. She needed a ride but not with the likes of those hooligans.

Off in the distance ,she saw a dark blue 1939 Studebaker coming towards her. She was still shaken but felt she might not get another chance for a ride today. "This is it; I have to git dis ride." She stuck out her thumb and stepped closer to the pavement in her bare feet. She could see men in the car and knew this might not be a safe ride. She had to take a gamble. She had to get to New Orleans and preferably before dark. The car came to a quick stop.

She heard someone in the vehicle, "Bill, roll down your window. Hey girl, you needin' a ride?"

"Yes, I do." Marie ran to the door and looked in. Inside three young navy men in their dress uniforms smiled back at her. Marie didn't know anything about service men but this was her chance, this might be the only ride that came along today. 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're wet and you got blood in your hair. You been drinking? You smell like a brewery. What the hell happened to you? Bill asked.

Richard from the back-seat piped in "Well, I don't mind a little water or blood 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.

"I was just kidding. What did happen to you little lady? " Richard replied.

"There was a car just 'fore you. Dey threw a beer bottle at my head," Marie said touching the back of her head again gingerly. "Two 'coonass' boys not much older dan my Boo."

"Them sorry little piss-ants...I wish I'd have been there. I'd teach them to respect a woman. I'd beat the piss out of them." Tom said.

"Well, step on it, Tom, maybe we can catch up with them." Bill motioned with his left hand. "We haven't had a good fight in a long time."

"Aw, you guys know you can't beat up on teenagers even if they do deserve it," Richard piped in. "Just forget about it. Bill, give the little lady your handkerchief to clean the blood out of her hair."

"Where you going and what's your name?" Tom looked over at Marie.

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

"I'm sorry Miss Marie; we forgot to tell you our names. They call me Tom, this is my car. That one in the backseat, he's Richard and that big lug next to you is Bill."

"Nice to meet you." Bill and Richard greeted Marie at the same time.

"You say you're looking for a job? There sure is a lot of work for women now. You shouldn't have any trouble finding one in New Orleans." Bill chimed in wiping the back of Marie's hair with his handkerchief. "This is just a little bitty cut, it'll heal real fast. 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 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 place to stay." Richard fumbled in his pocket.

"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 handed her 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... 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.

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 at her hands holding three ten dollar real 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 a chain link fenced 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. She took her fingers and ran through her snarled wavy hair. It will have to do; I wish I had a comb.

"Whatcha want little Miss?" A very fat balding man sat behind a small desk just inside the door.

"I'm looking fer 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 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 dose 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 turned and slowly left the office. Out on the highway again she sat down and removed Mr. Terrebonne's boots. " I'll git myself to N' Orleans. You'll see old man dare will be work for me dare." She stuck out her thumb and began to hitch another ride. She knew she was ignoring Richard's admonition; she had no choice.