Chapter 13: Jesse

Jesse said, "Wait! before you tell me about our wedding, maybe I should say something about my future plans. You may want to change your mind."

Marie replied, "No, what you do, I do! Where you go, I go! We are of one spirit now, nothing will change that!"

Jesse said, "Hear me first. When I get done looking up the Jacksons, I plan to leave for Texas and the Brazos River country to take up some land and start a horse ranch. Not a place likely to appeal to you after your life here in Naw'lins!"

"On the contrary," replied Marie, "It appeals to me very much! The socialite lady of the house is only one side of me. I was an outdoor girl before I became 'the lady of the house'! You can't get rid of me that easy, Jesse Owens!"

Jesse sighed with relief as he replied, "Well, I'm glad to hear that. I don't want to, I won't give you up. Do you really think you can like and be, 'The lady of the ranch'?"

"Yes, indeed I do and can," said Marie. "You just watch me! Now, the wedding." Marie continued, "Mother was the true Creole. As Julie and I grew up, her mother, Grandma Francine, indoctrinated us both in Creole ways, but we were more inclined to follow the cultural ways of our Anglo father. I, for one, have not forgotten my Creole heritage, which is why I want my wedding in the Creole fashion. It would also honor my mother's people. Mother could trace her lineage back to Spanish royalty and was quite proud of the fact. The Creole customs are not all that different from what you might know back in Georgia, although some are different. Of course, the French names for what goes on will be strange to you."

"Tell me some examples," said Jesse.

"Well," replied Marie, "I'll definitely want the Cajun/Creole song, Allons a Lafayette, sung. That song is more popular in the rural region west of here, but it reflects the need of couples to go to the city, Lafayette, or whatever is closest to find the nearest clergy to do the marrying. The first two lines of the song are: Allons a Layfayette, which translates, Let's go to Lafayette and Allons changer ton nom, which translates, Let's go change your name."

"I like that one," replied Jesse."

There is a second song I want," said Marie. "It goes like this:
Je voudrais bien me marier...
I want to get married...

L'argent a conte, les bans a publie...
There's money to count, notices to publish...
Tour ca me gene!...
All that bothers me!...
This song is a complaint about getting married! Do you want to complain, Jesse?"

"Not me!" replied Jesse.

Marie continued, "There are two main events, other than the wedding ceremony itself, that I will want and one I could do without, but will probably have to endure. I want the traditional wedding feast following the wedding. That will be followed by the 'La Bal de Noce, ' or as you would call it, the wedding dance.

"That sounds good so far," said Jesse.

"Yes, well, both of those will be held here in my home. You and I will start the dance by holding hands and walking around the cleared floor while the band plays one of my special songs. Then the guests will partner up and follow us around until all are marching around the ballroom, what you would call, a Grand March. Then you and I will have a private waltz while all the guests watch. Then I will have a dance with my father. Finally, everyone joins in and dances."

Then Marie added, "There is one more Creole tradition you may not be familiar with. In order for a guest to dance with either me or you, the person must first pin money to my veil or your suit! This custom is one way to ensure that at least for rural and perhaps poorer couples, there will be some cash money to start their life together! Throughout the night of dancing there will likely be many toasts to the new couple, us, and general singing. One of the songs I hope they sing during the dancing goes like this:
J' avals promis dans ma jeunesse
I promised in my youth
Que je m'aurais jamais marier...
That I would never marry...
C'est aujourd'hui que ma tete est couronee
But today my head is crowned
Et mon coeur est orne d'un bouquet...
And my heart is adorned with flowers
Adieu la fleur de la jeunesse
Goodbye to the flower of youth
La noble qualite de vie
The noble quality of life
Again-the noble quality of life
C'est aujour'hui que je veux la quitter.
Today I want to leave it behind.

The song is a lament that tells of the sweet sadness of getting married."

"Tarnation!" cried Jesse. "That's a powerful lot to remember!"

Marie answered, "Don't worry, you'll have time to hear me tell it several times more before the ceremony. Besides, these things will happen in due course without help from you. All you have to do is follow my lead and go along in the interest of good fun and family fellowship."

Jesse asked, "What is the custom you could do without but will likely have to endure anyway?"

"We, will have to endure, Jesse, not just I. It's called charivari. When a couple has been widowed or divorced, this is the practice of family and friends interrupting the wedding night by banging loud pots and pans outside their window. The company does not stop the noise until they are invited in for something to eat and drink. This is a playful way of honoring the new couple."

Jesse replied, "But neither of us has been divorced or widowed -- have we?"

"No, we haven't, but the custom seems to have, more and more, grown to include all newly marrieds, not just the original widowed or divorced. The custom isn't all that bad, and it is a lot of fun. I have participated in my share of charivari, so I guess it is my turn now."