Time: 14:10 p.m.
I had the occasion to visit a plantation in the very traditional south at the time when there were still slaves and owners. within the slave hierarchy there were also very distinct divisions of social ranking perhaps crudely separated into "field darky" those who tended to the cotton crops and were to remain outside. And "house darky". those slaves who would function as household staff. Without going into details such as questions of force and civil rights and the such, let me tell you an incident that happened when I visited this plantation.
The plantation had a family that owned it and the family had several daughters. One person who kept jealous care of the daughters was someone called Mamie. I have to state something that might not be obvious to those who actually listen to civil rights movements then and now, about the whole issue of slavery in the United States, (more specifically in the southern region). It is my experience that the question of color of skin was not necessarily the way one was fit into a category of slave. Far from it. there was a category of slave at the time that went under the name of light skinned. And int his category any person with any kind of skin color could be put into the category of slave. this makes sense because a slave society is actually something that functions around the use of captives as labor. And this isa practical world. So color of skin is not of fundamental importance. Force is.
But let me get back to Mamie. Mamie was very bright and actually went up vey high in the ranks of the slave hierarchy. She was in the category of "lighted skin or white skinned (I am not sure which). She had a great of deal of power over the young ladies of the house and was intrusted with a great deal of responsibility.
Mamie, however, had a secret. Or maybe nobody really bothered to care about who or were Mamie actually came from. This actually, vis-à-vis gaining freedom worked to her advantage. At least, many years later, it looks like that to me.
At one said moment, the plantation was attacked. Very successfully. And this is when I was there. the actors, had actually no idea of such niceties as division of class or slaves or color or rank. As a matter of fact they waded into anybody and everybody in the plantation: Field, darky, House darky, owner, white or whatever. they just simply started killing with such wanton abandon, that horrified witnesses of all persuasion were screaming out, atht e sight if the attack: "Are you crazy" We have madmen and they are crazy. What are you doing? Are you cracy?
Finally some men, got women and children from inside and outside, from all over to try and go to a certain place; all of them, so that could be protected by fighting men. At first, the young dewy eyed mothers of the fiel with their equally small babies were reluctant to go inside for fear of getting killed. But finally the fighting men of all colors actually, the ones who used to word crazy actually, got the defenceless people in one place. And then started the grim business of fighting back and putting an end to the hostilities.
It seems that Mamie was owned by a notorious Louisiana whore house that prided itself in the talents of white skinned women (which Mamie was one). Along with being very gifted and worthy of assuming a high rank in a very dignified plantation, Mamie was filled with a burning rage and a fair amount of bloodthirstiness. As I recall Mamie didn't come from a place that used merited whore house at all. I might be wrong, but I think she might have been originally from the middle east or India. And along with her physical attributes and skills, she was also quite proficient in English. So maybe that's why Mamie was so enraged. You see, it was Mamie that let people into the house where the security system was breached resulting in a successful and bloody attack on the whole estate.
Life is funny and poverty makes strange bedfellows. I have met Mamie several times since this occasion in our very distant past. At one occasion, in the small community I came from, she declared herself Hungarian like myself and with her sisters as a benevolent and impartial mentor and judge of my behavior and needs. I fear, on that occasion she managed to instigate the social ruin of myself, who already in a very precarious situation. The reason that has come mind is because Mamie once again is near me. As a matter of fact, we live together in the same residence. And also Mamie is not remotely alone. She is still in the company, as I am, of a fair amount of ladies and gentlemen from yhat very same Louisiana whore house that prided itself of the use of white skinned women.
6:53 p.m.
The Surprise.
Talking about the attack, at the time, which is probably why I remember her the best, Mamie came up with two surprises just as the house where I was got invaded. Number one, she had a huge scimitar hidden underneath her skirts. And two, just as expected her to give out a blood thirsty battle cry and help protect the house, she instead turned against the occupants of the house. Not only that, her and her sisters, started attacking with these huge knives, the aforesaid dewy eyed young mothers and their babies.
Coming home.
Another thing. I had a friend, Tom, in my small community of my childhood, who was pretty even tempered and then all of a sudden started talking about his aunts Muncy or Mancy. I never really understood who they were. they were several women and I believe one was Mamie. and as regards to myself, I believe she was up to no good at all. And rather successfully I might add.
Comments
Post a Comment