Ballet Shoes & Music Street (New Orleans) 1960-1961

Another huge shot gun house. Gramma & Grandpa Joe had the 2 front rooms. Mama, daddy and us kids took the next 4 rooms which included a kitchen and bathroom. Last several rooms were occupied by Aunt (R) & Uncle (B)(mamma’s brother and sister in law and however many kids they had at that time). Here too, there was an upstairs area at the back of the house occupied by Aunt (D) & Uncle (B) (mamma’s youngest brother & his wife, no kids)

How we all lived under one roof to this day, I can’t figure out. And why is an ever greater question.

Good Memories:

First Grade: I entered the 1st grade at Garrare school. The school was a large 4 story building with a cement playground. Girls played on one side, boys played on the other. Girls & boys also ate separately at lunch. I attended this school from 1st grade through 4th. The school was several blocks from our house, but I remember walking to and from school by myself. Wasn’t that dangerous? Junior was 7 years older than me, so he was attendin Jr. high and Donna , being 3 years younger, had not started yet.

Ballet School: On the corner of our street was a ballet studio. I used to go and sit on the step and look through the screen door and watch them dance. It was beautiful and I was amazed at how they could stand on their toes like that. It was some years later I learned about the steel toes that was in these ballet slippers! I’ve wanted to be a ballet dancer since that time but the opportunity never presented itself. I do expect though when I get to heaven, there will be a pair of beautiful ballet shoes awaiting me and I expect to spend eternity dancing throughout heaven for my Lord!

Snowballs & Hans Brinker: There was a wonderful snowball shop around the corner from this house. My favorite snowball was chocolate. Yep, you could get a chocolate snowball! This was no ordinary snowball shop either because there was a glass case there that displayed all sorts of bric-a-brac to buy. I fell in love with my 1st book there displayed in that case. It was titled “Hans Brinker, Silver Shoes”. I remember wanting that book so badly, but could never afford to buy it. On the cover there was a young boy and girl were ice skating. To this day I would still like a copy of that book.

Bad Memories:

My Grandpa Joe Died: My grandpa Joe died while we lived here. I think it was a sudden and unexpected heart attack.

Gambling: My mother around this time became more and more involved with gambling. Mostly playing “boo ray” poker. (That is probably not spelled right) She had an older brother, and a sister, who each owned bar rooms with secret back room poker rooms. Sometimes the poker games would last all night and into the next day. Sometimes we had lots of money, most of the time we did not. Which is why we moved so frequently. Can’t pay the rent…move.

Ugly Memories:

Shootings: My Aunt shot her husband, my Uncle in the leg, on his birthday. Seems they were both drunk, after closing their bar, on the night of his birthday. They got into a fight, which was a usual occurrence, and she just shot him. She took him to the hospital and came home with him. They stayed together for 50 years. Crazy….I know. I was in the 1st grade, I remember it all like yesterday. Scared me to death.

Incest: I had another uncle, who got my cousin (J), who was 16 at the time, pregnant. For whatever reason at the time, she was living with him and my Aunt. I remember a lot of screaming and crying. My cousin went off to have the baby. Crazy, I know.

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So there you have it. Music Street. The good, the bad and the ugly.

Isaiah 53;4-5 Surley, He hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: and with His stripes we are healed.

Blessings, Peace, All Good, Memaw