Ferdinand & Syrilla Glapion Family

Sounds of Dumaine

By Ruthann Whalen

Hoola-hoops spinning and Huck-a-bucks slurps...

Dirty Bare Feet wearing mardi-gras shirts Cousins

and brothers on Banana bike seats Bright ruffled

summer tops of stripes orange, reds and some

lime-green boys wearing knee torn jeans, long or

scissor -cut shorts eating New Orleans snow-balls

ooh som-sweet-stuff

Gra-maw grand kids running wild and round Jumping off the car-port trying not to make a sound Jumping high again off that forbidden porch... Hearing Paw Paw holler...WAS THAT THE ROCKING CHAIR BOY!! NO Paw Paw DATS NOT US,
What you hear now passing…Is the sound of that City Bus...

Heavy hard metal skates-rolling fast Sometimes worn only one when we were made too share Skating on Dumaine was lots of fun When the whole block of kids held hands more than one Playing pop-da-whip, hang on tight once its swung who's ever at the end off he would come

Double Dutch rope was my favorite in Dumaines hot sun turn around & touch the ground and then up you jump. Hand clapping-games of patty-cake slapping,
“whose Mary-Matt dressed in black, and why she never came back”
No boys allowed is what we would say While singing dirty songs of your old mean mama way back in her day…being careful what you say ya hear… ya know your mama’s watchen.  No more little Sally Walker, here come the cousins

Cuzins and gra maw its not the steps of Dumaine, but altogerther just the same...this is where the blind girl lived Rlph or Ferd), And of course Donald and Michael, but he’s little no worries Donald will Shoot at you with Guns made from sticks, a rubber band would fly Off from the end when it hits… Crying-Screaming "yall come inside’ ya-can't play together then don’t play at all….

Sneaking out the back door, past Pawpaw again Picking off his Fig Trees You know its a sin Oh he won't know...but before the day ends WHO PICKED MY FIGS... WHO WAS IN DAT GARDEN AGAN (as he would holler) We don't know Pawpaw, it was gramaw's Tom-Cat Damit...damm damm...Did I CURSE. NO PAW PAW you didn’t curse, as we would grin

Back outside in the warmth of Dumaines streets Running & playing sneaking hide & seek Finding things we thought was ours in our grandpa old shed Selling His coke Bottles to the corner store for more Then Going back home on bikes with long banana seats we're riding... Spotting nosey neighbors who stretching their necks to see
asking what you're hiding Where ya going lil girls You answer smartly nonya" knowing that fat neighbor will be telling on-ya

You get to the corner of White street and Dumaine And see a big cat along the way, you yell run Babette don't be afraid it's just that old tom-cat that scratched you yesterday hurry up Leanie move real fast you’re too slow.. don’t worry the wind won’t mess Up your Big-Bangs-ya-know

Back again at home, from the front gate.. ‘ we weren’t suppose to leave
Where is Terry, we left her somewhere, still crying still screaming (she cried (loud) all the time) Playing together was maybe important to us, but sometimes it was just too much Especially if you’re little, you’re left out of the game, so keep up if you must in this hard game of touch

Gra-maw’s grand-kids were not sweet as she was even to a blind girl, who didn’t know where she was… Every time we saw her “Leanie” would run (remember this girl)
Play with her grand ma would say, let her jump, let her turn the rope and sit down and play She can’t grand maw, she can’t see or hear, she don’t know where she is…she can’t play

So we would turn the rope so hard, she could feel the rope in the air, she held her head high yet her senses were there But she missed, and missed again we’d complain she’s still here….She Can’t JUMP Gra-maw that Girl can’t even hear Gra-maw would laugh, as her dress would move cause her stomach was shaking so hard… We thought to ourselves this ain’t even funny So let’s run real fast she wouldn’t know what went passed Then home of course she’d sure would go

As the day passed on, our dull paled ruffled tops We wore thru out the-day Bright colors we had, now kinda-dirty some faded to gray But grand maw face still shined a summer’s ray, for those dirty faces she-cared A lil spittle to spare she wipes us clean with a finger or hanky, she pulled
      
Cuzins with gran paw on Dumaine St. from where-ever in that dress Then remembering herself lastly she puts both brown combs in her hair from each-side she took

Off she runs us to the bathroom that night, filled with colorful soaps all bright The blue and white soap dish she had next to the bubble bath in a pretty tall glass She poured the powders into the tub.. Now ALL TOGETHER NOW LET’S WASH THEM GO-GO’s (all in-one tub)

My gra-maw I knew loved-me the best, she fed me and fed me, and what ever Sharon left I would eat the rest (Sharon hated oatmeal) their little-tiff Grandma mixing bowls so big and brown, was mine to lick, leaving stripes only behind As she cooked and cooked I hear her singing still she sang and sang as she answered Ferdin-naw
who hollered from living room chair Yes dear… she’d answer so calmly as again she hear SYRILLIA he’d holler all too clear

At night back then Dumaine had a quiet house, Pawpaw’s cookie time was the time worth spent with his own grand-kids…do you remember then… as at the table we sat, his sturdy old face would tell some stories or even tried to sing…. song’s as You-So-Ugly, or Run Joe run--(selling fortunes behind da-door) Though time spent like this is so rare he worked as I can remember but seems to always be there

Pawpaw would say GOD DON’T LIKE UGLY, eyes Under-His glass’s nose-up-- his eyes would stare His black hat and white starched shirts all matched his hair
as silver as clouds over the earth…’Respected he was as I can recall A strong tall short man who quietly made his entrance known No Times-Picayune- Nor Insurance man
would knock on this door disrespecting this man

At church even St Peter Cleaver would know, that Glapion bunch with their Pawpaw would come… they sat in the front pew of a white folk- church all embarrassed
Except for One!! Pawpaw knew the word as GOD-Planned and at the end of this service he’d tell this priest when shaking his hand

See Sundays were serious though catholic we were, but no-one would know it with the big-book he wore He made a scene, I think he knew it cause no-one told a priest about his catholic service

Argue with a priest again, as Pawpaw would And bring that Big-book again…lets go Pawpaw lets go home He would just keep going on and on…the truth he carried
Must Be Made Known…lets go Pawpaw as we would say

See Sharon we told you (no pants-suits today)… My grand-daughter this my grand-children that… this is my bible then finally the Priest left Sharon can wear pants to church now ya see That Priest at St Peter Cleaver church is no longer there

Down Dumaine street he would walk from and too McKenzie’s bakery filling us up on glazed donuts …Now see all better now there’s No-fuss Your Pawpaw was mad but would Never Cuss

Down from broad street Pawpaw would walk and from every bus-stop he would witness giving-out words of life To those who may have missed it… I still see him walking that black hat and white shirt from the corner of Dumiane Good-Evenings were said He spoke and replied good evening to all, and with his white haired head he would just- Nod

Sundays have past, Monday rolls in at noon my grand-maw fixen jelly again, peanut-butter or apple-butter on crackers or bread Eat it all and quiet down, my stories are on.. so take a nap now lay down and go to sleep 2 here 3 there, children laying everywhere… on the floor we’d all lay looking like refugees at the end of a hard day
The one thing not missing was a short walk and a pot close by to Pee in (Pot near her bed)

As the World turns and the Guiding light ends, I can still see her belly move with that delightful laugh ….her jewelry was made of safety pins she wore; some were even wooden for hanging clothes, peppermints in her pocket and that wet hanky again
on her dresser laid her prayer beads a ceramic box with a bird atop she didn’t complain as we would touch most of her gifts she loved so much that they were
still wrapped and all left shut

As we all lay …only she’d fall asleep, we’d giggled all the time at ‘Red Skelton’ as we peeked when she awoke she asked did we sleep … OH Yes Grand-maw now can we eat

Dumaine street Sundays, and holidays… were all made by Pawpaw and Gra-maw hearts Wearing white puffy dresses may look so angel-like… Easter morning will be great when we’re at Paws paws house

Can-can slips that itched and itched as you hitched it up high to find that certain spot
Wearing Friday-labeled underwear when … oops you remember "Today" it's really NOT?

Saturdays is when our Hair gets FiXed Straightening combed from a fire that burned
it straight as sticks Greased up with Royal-Crown so it keeps that
hot comb from getting Stuck so much Curling irons used were Twirled in your hand never cooled off from the big window fan In this hot warm kitchen where is where your hair was washed in

Sponge rollers pink only and Rope colored ribbons Hair is parted not weaved in, with One Part down the middle Can't Close My Eyes Can you Loosen a little

Dumaines noise is quieting down, for now but we will never forget that rare fun…
Like watching flying bird feathers- FLY From a Fan or cat is where Pettie and Tweetie now lyes

Big window fans were strong way back then... And not very friendly for our little flying friends But thats okay cause by next weekend Gra-maw would have another Pettie Again

No more pity pat- or playing jacks when in from the rain we’d run… sweet memories were made When on Dumaine Street you stayed… as we knew we were always welcomed

So if you come in from the rain to have fun, make sure you come in through Gra-maws kitchen!!! And If you ring the front door bell…wait a bit We’ll listen because through the back door we will come to get you that’s thyou will too that through Papaws Dinning-room you don’t run-thru

Deep in our hearts we all know that “Some” memories were truly missed As Dumaine street remains though some things have changed in time and in our spirit And as we have grown up We’ve finally known that in our children Pawpaw knew his lienage …
Not just by paper-tracks but the words written on them this power was Godly given

For that Big-Book that Glapion stood for the word he knew would "Remain so on his knees he prayed ahead For those raggedy Kids and all of the Things They will sure to get themselves into

Those prayers were made for more sounds of singing and joy laughing and children giggling… these are the ones, yes that’s them Still Praising God with all Thanksgiving

The rocking chair is gone as the periwinkles browned but we can still stop and listen…
to those Dumaine street Sounds Which can only be found while sitting in my Grandma’s big yellow kitchen

My memories though mine are not forgotten but if you can't recall too many Then it's ok just read ALL this This story was made for my memories I'm sure you will remember when if in New Orleans Those thoughts no one forgets if you pass a old women and don’t say good-evening Theyr'e sure to remind you bout-that

So if you pass by Dumaine street and Broad, walking down the block at the end not to far That's one sure way that you will get down there
cause the City-Bus now won’t go any Anywhere

By …Ruthann Whalen… (Ferdinand Glapions –lineage)
 
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