Cecil was Honest Joe's father, my grandfather, and a French-speaking Cajun born in Opelousas, Louisiana. Grandpa Cecil spent the latter part of his life living beside and fishing in the bayous of Terrebonne Parish.
Cecil used round tar-dipped hoop nets and a small flat-bottom boat, called a pirogue, to bring in his favorite catch, catfish. Running catfish hoop nets was hard, back-breaking work, and those who made their living that way respected each other and looked out for one another.
One night, just as Cecil was drifting asleep, he received a phone call from his close friend, his “podnah”, Jacques. Jacques told him, "I'm going away for a while, and I need you to take care of my nets and my dog." Cecil answered, "For sure! Where are you going?" Jacques said, "Just away" as the phone went dead.
Grandpa harvested catfish from his friend's and his nets the following morning. When he finished his work, he piloted the pirogue back to his dock, walked up the stairs to his home, and settled down to read the Times Picayune newspaper and enjoy a cup of Cajun style Community Coffee with Chicory.
Cecil got freesôns, “goosebumps”, as he read the obituary for Jacques. His friend had passed away early the previous day, hours before the phone call.
Cecil used round tar-dipped hoop nets and a small flat-bottom boat, called a pirogue, to bring in his favorite catch, catfish. Running catfish hoop nets was hard, back-breaking work, and those who made their living that way respected each other and looked out for one another.
One night, just as Cecil was drifting asleep, he received a phone call from his close friend, his “podnah”, Jacques. Jacques told him, "I'm going away for a while, and I need you to take care of my nets and my dog." Cecil answered, "For sure! Where are you going?" Jacques said, "Just away" as the phone went dead.
Cecil got freesôns, “goosebumps”, as he read the obituary for Jacques. His friend had passed away early the previous day, hours before the phone call.
Grandpa was startled for a moment, but such things happen on the bayou. He sipped his coffee and pondered. Eventually he knew what he had to do. Cecil drove his truck to his podnah's house and picked up Jacques' dog.
That dog spent the rest of his canine life, riding beside Cecil in the pirogue and sleeping under Grandpa’s porch .
--- Sugie