I have moved a lot. Like 25+ times a lot. That means many towns and many houses. But you know what didn’t change for a very long time? My grandparents home in Cottonport, Louisiana. My memories here are sweet, simple and good.
I would spend time in the summers in Cottonport at my grandparents house. My days consisted of mornings in front of the TV with Papa watching The Ethma Odum Show and eating vienna sausage and canned biscuits {I know, my gourmet taste started young}. If it was a Monday and Nany wasn't working we probably watched Days of Our Lives.
Afternoons included popping in to Nany’s beauty shop {in the backyard} and listening to the ladies gossip; I mean discuss town business, yeah business. Interesting point...I knew town business was very important when they started speaking in French. After catching up on gossip, oops...business, I would walk the few blocks to town.
Town was a little girls dream. The Ben Franklin and Bill’s Dollar Store were my favorite stops. Ben Franklin carried my favorite candy--Kit Taffy. {You know those little wrapped packages of 3 pieces of taffy. Banana and strawberry were my favorites. I’ve always been a fan of fruit!} Ben Franklin is also where I got my potholder supplies. You know those loom kits with the loops and metal frame. Those things were durable! My mom STILL has some that I made 43ish years ago.
And y’all, the Bill’s Dollar Store was probably where my love of a good dollar store began AND to top it off I knew the manager, Mrs. Rita {she was Nany & Papa’s neighbor}. Knowing the queen could not have topped knowing the manager of the Bill’s Dollar Store in Cottonport, Louisiana for this little redheaded girl.
My evenings were spent in front of the console TV; unless it was a Friday night. On Friday nights Nany and I could be found at the Pizza Hut in a neighboring town. But no matter the evening a staple was turning over Papa’s recliner after he went to bed to find the change that fell out of his pockets. Hey, a girl needed some Kit Taffy and potholder money!
Y’all these were simple times and sweet memories. Fast forward to a few weeks ago. On the way home from a road trip to Minden we stopped in Bunkie at Griffin’s Antiques and Main Street Market for a {delicious} pie. When we got out of the car I saw the sign pointing towards Cottonport and knew I wanted to take a trip down memory lane. We took the 15 minute detour. The first stop was my grandparents house. Funny fact, not long ago I had to ask my mom what the name of the street was because I just always knew the house and the street name never crossed my mind. When we reached the house it made me sad. The house looked lonely and bare. The beauty shop, outdoor kitchen and Papa’s workshop are gone. The house sits alone and gone are the flowers, the garden and the swing but my memories remain.
We made our way into town and my heart sank a little as things I remembered are gone with just faded
signs and faint reminders of times gone by. BUT I was glad to see the paddle boat Papa built is still in the middle of town, and the Ben Franklin is now a venue known as The Franklin {and it’s quite beautiful}. I wonder if they have Kit Taffy? Mr. Tony’s Grocery Store is now a thrift store, the flower shop is gone and so is the building where I took dance lessons {my career was short lived}.
While some of the places of my childhood are gone Cottonport is still a thriving town with new businesses in some of the familiar buildings of my childhood. If you find yourself in Avoyelles Parish, take a drive to Cottonport and enjoy the beauty of a sweet town that sits on the banks of Bayou Rouge. Be sure to stop at T-Jim’s for cracklins and sausage.
If you happen to be in town at Easter you are likely to see locals participating in Egg Pocking. My mama has told me many stories about this and every year we still dye and “knock” eggs.
Towns change. Time moves on. Memories remain. Cottonport, Louisiana will always be a big part of who I am and why I love Kit Taffy, potholders and a good dollar store.
With humor and hot flashes,
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