BOOTVILLE STORIES: THE SHRINKING VIOLET
During my Childhood My Home Town of Corcoran California consisted of Four Areas on the Outskirts where Black Folks Lived: 5 1/2 Ave, North Ave, Pickerill Across the Tracks and Bootville renamed ‘Sunny Acres’.
CORCORAN CALI CIRCA 60'S
Hi everybody
I’m Archie Bell of the Drells
From Houston, Texas
We don’t only sing but we dance
Just as good as we walk
In Houston we just started a new dance
Called the Tighten Up
This is the music
We tighten up with
- Archie Bell & The Drells/’68
- https://www.pinterest.es/pin/179932947583541986/
I always have a mellow nostalgic feeling when I recall my childhood…Vivid Memories and childhood innocence feels like forever-ago. A later sixties song by Archie Bell & The Drells always triggered a particular cringy incident in my mind.
Black Culture has always had Home Remedies and Cures…some were just plain crazy and dangerous. Like when Chris Rock in a Comedy Routine tells how his family didn’t go to the doctor unless you were at Death’s Door.
“Put a little ‘Tussin on it you’ll be Allright!” Robutussin cured many a malady back in the day.
Mama Shorty was not the only Sportin’ Woman [Prostitute] in my home town…she had a White Competitor who claimed to be French and complete with a phony French accent. Her name was Violet La Damee.
Supposedly she had met her husband when he was in the Army stationed in France. He married her and brought her to the United States to live but he was later killed in action so she had no relatives or friends here so she began the oldest profession in the World.
Her Youth, Beauty, and Exotic Essence made her quite Popular and she took to her new job like a Duck to Water. Her Clients were among the Wealthy Families in Corcoran soon she was driving around in a white Mercedes and got invited to the Mansion on Whitley Avenue across from the High School.
Ever since I can remember that Mansion reminded me of Gone With The Wind and the Cruelty of Slavery. There were plenty of parties given there where Violet was the entertainment. They had a Black Maid & Cook who reported on every thing they saw there…and they had seen a LOT.
What Violet did not count on was due to her popularity her secret weapon was taking a beating literally…soon her Clients were complaining that her kitty was no longer tight and caressing giving them maximum Pleasure.
She panicked and confided in the Maid who told her Mama Shorty Conjure Woman not only had remedies for Men but Women too. The maid volunteered to ride with her in her Mercedes to Mama Shorty’s House. They waited till it was dark to take that ride.
The Maid had made a phone call to Mama Shorty ahead of time so the remedy would be ready when they got there. Violet parked the car looking around nervously. She watched Mama Shorty hand something in a bottle to the Maid and the Maid gave her the $100 she charged.
Mama Shorty’s Concoction was named ‘The Shrinking Violet’ it was supposed to tighten up a kitty to Virginal status. There were very specific instructions which the Maid conveyed to Violet.
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They drove quickly out of Bootville back to the Mansion.
Violet retired to her room and the Maid was leaving to go home Proud she had helped the French Lady in her time of need.
**********
THE NEXT DAY
Mama Shorty hears a knock at her door and goes to answer it wondering who would be at her house this early.
She opens the door and her eyes get big as saucers.
Violet was in her night gown with wild eyes and long black hair tangled and in disarray. Her arms were waving in the air as she made incoherent noises like some kind of insane Banshee.
“Aarrrrg…Aarrrg……Aarrrg!”
Mama Shorty called her two henchman to the door.
“Did you follow my directions to the t?”
“Aarrrg! Aarrrg! Aarrrg! Violet pointed to her mouth.
“You ate it? You dumb Bitch you’re supposed to insert the Alum Balm into your Kitty!” She let out a cackle that reverberated against the walls…her two henchman joined in laughing their asses off.
“At least we know that my remedies work.”
EPILOGUE
Violet had to have surgery to have her mouth and lips corrected so that she could swallow and eat again.
She was never the same.
- There was a time when Alum was a popular remedy for loose women…no pun intended.
