A Portrait of Me #15: Armand Pierre Moliere, aged 65
by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Wednesday, July 23, 2003
|
Recent stories by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
· An Update: Pastor Bruce Bilkey, May 2014.
· Oktavius D'Mariel: Special Needs Parenting 101.
· An Update: Gabrielo Bustamente, May 2014.
· An Update: Blondelle Hawkins, May 2014.
· Anastaysia Hope: Special Needs Parenting 101.
· An Update: Windy Storm Thundercloud, May 2014.
· An Update: Mieczystaw A. W. Czechstaw, May 2014.
>> View all 7,121
|
|
|
Louisiana's father, Armand Pierre, writes about himself. He is a true , dyed-in-the-wool Cajun.
The words in this story are intentionally mispelled, for this is the way Armand spells. His spelling, as you can see, is NOT good.
|
Bonjour, mes amis! Comment ca-vas?
My name Armand Moliere, and I be 65 year' old; just turn 65 back in March a' dis year, me.
Excuse me if my writin' not good; I write like I talk, an' my spelin' ain't too good; forgive me on dat. I learnin' English still at night classes at local college, but it still hard for me to learn. I read much better'n I write, me.
As I said, my name Armand Moliere, me, an' I be 65, an old man. My middle name be Pierre. I was born in Bayou Cane, in Lou'siana, near Houma, an' I be de youngest a' t'irteen kids, me. I have 5 sisters, an' I have 7 brodders..or DID; some a' dem done die, so dey no longer here. I come to Tennsee about six year' ago, after de death a' ma' firs' wife, Claudie, an' I have since remarried to a good Cajun woman name Therese.
I have five kids, all girls, an' all but one--Georgia--still alive. Georgia died in plane crash not long after I lose my wife ta' cancer. ma' wife, she be real sick, an' her death hit me hard.
I have had much sadness in my life; besides my wife an' oldest daughter, I also lost ma' son-in-law (my oldest girl's husband), an' five a' ma' grandchildrens. Den peoples wonder why alla time, I be so sad, me.
I am short an' fat, look like I could be a Santa Claus (but don' have de beard; only de moustache!). I am only 5'3 1/2" tall, but I weigh 'bout 180 pound. I use ta' weigh more, but I had heart surg'ry, an' I hadda' lose all dat weight. Good t'ing I did, 'cause it took me long time to git over ma' surg'ry. (I had surg'ry earlier dis year, an' I feel better now den I have in YEARS!) (Well, MOS' a' de time, anyways; still have de heart pains in ma' ches' from time ta' time, me.)
I have long grey hair dat be t'in on top (I have mo' hair on de bottom den on de top) an' black eyes, an' I also have a moustache. I also have dark skin, an' I have a round belly; look like a beachball wit' legs!
I live mos' a' ma' life in Lousiana, but after de deaths a' some a' ma' family members, I move ta' Tennsee ta' be wit' ma' youngest girl, Lousiana, an' HER family, an' I be here since, me. She have a whole mess a' kids herself, an' I LOVE ta' spoil 'em ROTTEN! Dey be ma' grandkids, I be their grandpa, so dat's my job, right??
Besides spoilin' my grandkids, I likes ta' read, watch de sportin' stuff an' de football games on de tv set, play ma' Cajun fiddle or acordion, lissen ta' ma' Cajun music on de stereo set (I likes Belton Richard, Jimmy C. Newman, Vin Bruce, an' Doug Kershaw; dey play de REAL Cajun stuff, dem; I also like de group "BeauSoleil"), go ta' concerts an' hear de singers sing dey hits (I also likes country western music, 'specialy de older stars like Loretta Lynn an' George Jones), an' go ta' MicDonald's an' meet ma' friends an' have a cup a' coffee an' a talk wit' dem ever' week. (Sometimes, me, I go ever' day, me. Got not'in' better ta' do; hey, I'm RETIRED!)
Peoples sometimes make fun a' me an' de way I talk, but I can't help it, no. I talk all dese years in Cajun French; WHY do I have ta' learn English? I AM learnin' English now, but it a lot harder for me 'cause I'm an old man, an' dey say when one young, it a lot easier. I find dat ta' be so true ! An' I be havin' more troubl wit' ma' writin'; my spelin' HORIBLE! I always be gettin' marks on ma' paper fo' ma' spelin'! Dey always be gettin' mad at me, de teachers, but dey still tryin' ta' help me. Da's good, yes?
I use ta' be a good dancer, was always dancin' at de fais do do halls an' stuff, but I not do dat anymore, me. I have de arthritis in ma' joints, an' walkin' so hard fo' me now. I walk on two canes (or on bad days, two crutches), an' if I have ta' go for a long time, like when we go ta' Wal*Marts or somet'in', I use de wheelchair. I also take ma' heart pills, in case I have de jemima in ma' ches' an' ma' heart hurts. [Armand meant "angina".] So ma' health, it be not good no more. I miss de Cajun dancin', but I still enjoy de Cajun music, me.
I be goin' now, me. I t'ink I write enough. Au revoir, mes amis!
|
|
|
| Reviewed by Tinka Boukes |
7/23/2003 |
|
enjoyed reading you.......about your e-mail.......do what ever you feel is right girl....first of all look after yourself and your health....don't over do it!!!
Love
Tinka |
|
|
|
|
|
| Reviewed by OnepoetGem *the Poetic Rapper |
7/23/2003 |
|
| Karen this was real cute and out of the norm. It makes me feel good that during my life time I did learn to communicate more effectively, even though I had to go to summer school because I failed eleventh grady english grammar, so I do relate to the stammer. And I couldn't seem to pass french in college. I flunked it twice. I just quit taking it. love ,ur friend in Bmore Grady |
|
|
|
|
|
| Reviewed by Karla Dorman, The StormSpinner |
7/23/2003 |
|
(((o, karen)))
LOVE this story told by armand...you capture his accent perfectly! love the element of humor--well done!
(((HUGS))) and love,
karla. :) |
|
|
|
|
|
