CENSORING MARK TWAIN

In 1907, Mark Twain wrote: "The truth is that when a library expels a book of mine and leaves an unexpurgated Bible lying around where unprotected children and age can get hold of it, the deep unconscious irony of it delights me and doesn't anger me." That's classic Twain!

I am opposed to censorship. How dare the current censoring or Bowdlerizing of Twain's masterpiece "Huckleberry Finn" be allowed!

I have never used the "N" word in my life. Even as a child, reading "Huckleberry Finn", I knew that it wasn't "right" for me to use the word, but I was worldly enough to ask questions such as "WHY?" Why would Huck use those words? Why did he act the way he did? Clearly, the answers were that it was an accurate portrayal of life at that time and place. Even as a child, I was able to grasp that the author probably didn't approve of the words and actions of some of the characters.

Did I suddenly begin using the "N" word or the derogatory term for Native Americans? Of course not.

Twain wrote: "The difference between the almost right word and the right word is really a large matter." He knew he had to use the RIGHT word because, as he wrote, it's "the difference between the lightning bug and lightning."

As a child, I did not know that "Huckleberry Finn" was banned when it was first published because Jim was treated as a "human being". The fact that I, as a child, knew that Jim was a human being and deserved to be accorded fair treatment, and because Huck gradually rejected the values he was brought up with, especially the views on slavery, and the fact that I, as a child, comprehended that, is the ultimate triumph of Mark Twain! His ability to communicate to a child in rural Ohio in the 1950s just as he had communicated when the book was published in 1884 is a testament to his masterpiece. To quote Twain, I don't want his books to be among those "which people praise and don't read."

Hemingway was right when he wrote: "All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called "Huckleberry Finn"; it's the best book we've had. All American writing comes from that. There was nothing before. There has been nothing as good since."--from "The Green Hills Of Africa (1934)

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THE LAST 45

Since using the link below, my friend Patty and I have been sharing stories about different songs from our youth. The following is a note from her about "THE STROLL".

OK. Joey, Casey [grandkids] and I just did The Stroll. Joey liked going down the middle.

Here is my best Stroll story: all of the kids used to gather in the gym in the mornings until school started. The boys would shoot hoops, and the girls would dance. However, whenever The Stroll came up, they would drop the basketballs and come running over to dance with us. Well, there we all were in our two lines (about 40 kids), and as we are dancing, I looked over at the other line to see who my partner would be to dance down the middle. Well, surprise, surprise, there stood one of the few black guys in our school and a mammoth guy he was (Allister Dowdell). I briefly thought, "What the heck am I going to do now?" I could tell by Allister's facethat he was thinking the very same thing. As our turn came, we both made the decision to "dance our asses off" down the center of that line. As I remember we got a little ovation, which was heard by my boyfriend Raymond (who didn't dance). The look he gave me wasn't the friendliest look I ever got, but he should have learned how to dance!

To see the link, click here.




The dance was born before the song, and had it not been for an idea of American Bandstand's Dick Clark, the song may never have been. Dick noticed the kids were "line dancing" to a song by Chuck Willis called "C.C. Rider", and he needed more musical material than just the one song and ultimately a few others for the kids to do this dance. He enlisted the aid of singer Brook Benton who put pen to Dick's idea, and "The Stroll" was born. The Diamonds were given the opportunity to record this not long after their hit of "Little Darlin", and the song shot to #4 in January of 1958.

FRAZZLED SHOPPERS

In the store, two days before Christmas, I was in the Express Lane as I had only two items. In the next lane was a couple with an overflowing cart, with a huge bag of dog food across the top of the load. The woman began loading items onto the belt and as she picked up the dog food, another item fell to the floor. She and the man both leaned over to pick it up and I could see the looks between them and I heard an audible growl from the man.

OOPS! Another item fell to the floor and as they both leaned over to retrieve it I could see the tempers flaring and he slammed the item back into the cart. They noticed that I was looking at them, so NATURALLY (some would say it's NOT natural), I began singing, "Have a holly, jolly Christmas" in my best Burl Ives homage.

They both began laughing and I said, "Just 2 more days!"

DATE NIGHT

A young family member asked what we are doing tonight and I said that I had received a gift certificate to Olive Garden and that Gerald and I are having a "date night". She said that she was incredulous; that she'd never heard of married people having dates. When I told her it was quite common, she laughed and asked, "Whatta ya do?" I answered, "We get dressed up and go out and have a good time." She asked, "Like what? Go to a movie?" I said that we were going to a movie. She asked, "You mean you actually get dressed up?" I replied that I had a new outfit and that Gerald would be wearing slacks, dress shirt, sweater and sports coat. She asked, "Doncha feel out of place with everybody else not dressed up?" I told her, "No, I figure everybody else will think they should have "dressed up" more!" She told me that she found that train of thought confusing. I told her that when she grew up she would understand.

She asked, "What do you find to talk about after all these years?" I answered, "I'll start out by telling him about a person who thinks we couldn't possibly have anything to talk about after all these years!" The kid asked, "You really mean that you have stuff to talk about?" I answered, "I'll be telling him about the book I'm reading, a funny thing I saw on Facebook, what I ordered on e-bay and I'll be asking HIM about what interests him--you know--rather like a date!"

Finally, still with faint ridicule in her voice, she asked, "And does he kiss you goodnight at the door?" I answered, "Well, honey, this isn't our FIRST date!"

NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS

About an hour outside Memphis, Gerald and I stopped at a rest area. As I came out of the restroom, I noticed a large picture of Tina Turner adorning the wall. The picture proudly proclaimed that we were outside of Tina Turner's birthplace, Nutbush, TN.

Gerald and I have always loved Tina and when he came out of the restroom, the lobby was very crowded. I pointed to the picture and recited in a conversational voice:

"I heard she left a good job in the city."
Gerald answered, just as matter-of-factly, "I heard she was workin' for The Man every night and day."
I continued: "And I heard she didn't lose one minute of sleepin"
Gerald continued: "And I heard she didn't worry about the way things might have been".

Gerald is usually not prone to this kind of exhibitionism, although I will erupt into song nearly any place or any time, but we both started singing in unison:

"Big wheel keep on turnin'
Proud Mary keep on burnin'
Rollin', rollin', rollin' on the river."

Others in the lobby joined in singing and began clapping!

We continued:

"Cleaned a lot of plates in Memphis,
Pumped a lot of 'tane down in New Orleans,
But I never saw the good side of the city,
'Til I hitched a ride on the riverboat queen."

We "oooh, oohed, oohed" on our way back to the car and then Gerald said, "Well, you know, it would have been more appropriate to have been singing "Nutbush City Limits!" I answered, "But I don't know those lyrics!"




TINA TURNER LYRICS

"Nutbush City Limits"

A CHURCH HOUSE GIN HOUSE
A SCHOOL HOUSE OUT HOUSE
ON HIGHWAY NUMBER NINETEEN
THE PEOPLE KEEP THE CITY CLEAN
THEY CALL IT
NUTBUSH OH NUTBUSH
CALL IT NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS

TWENTY-FIVE WAS THE SPEED LIMIT
MOTORCYCLE NOT ALLOWED IN IT
YOU GO TO THE STORE ON FRIDAY
YOU GO TO CHURCH ON SUNDAY
THEY CALL IT
NUTBUSH OH NUTBUSH
CALL IT NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS

YOU GO TO THE FIELDS ON WEEKDAYS
AND HAVE A PICNIC ON LABOR DAY
YOU GO TO TOWN ON SATURDAY
BUT GO TO THE CHURCH EV'RY SUNDAY
THEY CALL IT
NUTBUSH OH NUTBUSH
CALL IT NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS

NO WHISKEY FOR SALE
YOU CAN'T COP NO BAIL
SALT PORK AND MOLASSES
IS ALL YOU GET IN JAIL
THEY CALL IT
NUTBUSH OH NUTBUSH
CALL IT NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS

LITTLE OLD TOWN IN TENNESSEE
THAT'S CALLED A QUIET LITTLE OLD
COMMUNITY
A ONE-HORSE TOWN YOU HAVE TO
WATCH
WHAT YOU'RE PUTTIN' DOWN IN OLD
NUTBUSH
THEY CALL IT
NUTBUSH OH NUTBUSH
CALL IT NUTBUSH CITY LIMITS

HAPPY NEW YEAR

We wish everyone a happy, safe and prosperous new year.