Part 10 (2/2)

When I got to town, I found the Delta Blues Museum. Walking in, I was greeted by a Eudora Brown, who looked to be in her twenties, and an old man in a VERY nice suit. He looked to be an old blues man for sure-almost like he was a plant, his look was so perfect.

Since I was the only other person there, I had time and s.p.a.ce to read everything, look at everything, and absorb it all.

Clarksdale is the epicenter of Delta Blues, and at the juncture of Highways 49 and 61. A sign made of two blue guitars announces this fact. Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, Howlin' Wolf-they've all been here, played here, and one was even poisoned here! Ol' Robert Johnson didn't heed the advice not to let the women in the bars he played in mess with his good sense. He had a wild streak, that one, and was quite the ladies' man.

As the story goes, one evening he began flirting with a woman at a dance, who happened to be the wife of the juke joint owner. When the bartender offered Johnson the better part of a bottle of whiskey, fellow blues legend Sonny Boy Williamson allegedly advised him never to drink from a bottle that had already been opened. But Johnson replied, ”Don't ever knock a bottle out of my hand.” That night Johnson felt ill and had to be helped back to his room, where he died early the next morning. The whiskey had been laced with poison. Ol' Robert Johnson was twenty-seven.

It was all there, Mama, wonderful anecdotes about the men and women who changed the sound of American music forever. Most of the stories were so tragic, like Big Mama Thornton dying penniless in a boarding house in Hollywood while Janis Joplin was becoming famous covering her songs. The list goes on and on.

I dawdled in the museum for a while, and then went back into the foyer where Eudora Brown was presiding, alone. She offered to show me a video, but I didn't want to sit there and watch TV. She said, ”Well, I have a selfish motive, Miss. It gets kinda lonely here. There's no one to talk to.” So I said, ”Well, why didn't you say so? I don't need to sit here and watch a video. We can talk!” And talk we did.

She had the most glorious smile, even with braces on her teeth. Eudora lives with and takes care of her mother, who beat cancer last year, and Eudora's dating a no-good man who's constantly borrowing money from her. She used to have a visitor at the museum who worked for Habitat for Humanity. He was polite and friendly and visited the museum quite a lot-so much so, that Eudora got the feeling that he had a crush on her. He'd come in and buy one small item and talk with her. He kept coming back time after time, and they'd talk and talk. But he never asked Eudora out, and I'm guessing he was just too shy.

He was living in Clarksdale, but he moved to San Antonio a year ago, and Eudora hasn't heard from him since. Mama, I watched her face light up when she talked about that man, and fall completely when she started talking about the man she was seeing now.

So I couldn't help myself, I just piped up and said, ”Eudora, I don't know you from Adam, but your entire face changes when you talk about the man who moved to San Antonio. Why don't you look him up? Call Habitat here and see if they have a number for him! Maybe he's still single? Maybe not, but you never know.”

Her eyes shone like big marbles.

”Really? Should I? Maybe I will!”

I said, ”Do it TODAY! Do it NOW! I'll wait here.”

This girl has taken care of her mom her entire life, and now she thinks just maybe it's ”time for Eudora.” I told her I agreed with her 100 percent, as long as her Mama knows that she loves her and will be there for her when she needs her and will take care of her. I think any mother worth her salt only wants to see her baby happy. And that means ”time for Eudora.”

So Eudora got on the phone right then and there. The director of Habitat was out, but at the end of our visit Eudora promised me she'd keep trying. We hugged, and I got in my Jeep and headed out.

Maybe I stuck my nose in where it didn't belong but Mama, I just couldn't help myself, and Eudora seemed so happy when we waved good-bye. I pray it all works out for her.

From: Mama

To: Carrie

Sent: Jan. 5, 2001

You know what, honey? Even if it doesn't work out for Eudora, maybe you helped her realize she doesn't have to put up with someone who treats her poorly. Just got your new pages. I find that I'm constantly curious as to where Kate and the cowboy are headed next.

Love, Mama

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