The Mason Legacy

The Masons, a working stiff family from the other side of the tracks, acquired one of the properties on the Boulevard in the late 60's.

The matriarch, Big Mama Mason, was a hard business woman to deal with. Papa Mason did as he was told, as she would remind him that it was "her money" that put them in the business of selling farm equipment. Papa was just a mechanic, but one of the best and he could tear down a tractor and put it back together in one day, repaired and ready to go. Big Mama was the sole office worker, billing, and collecting debts owed to her.

Having six children, four boys and two girls, they had to be educated and fed. From dawn's early light, til the cows came home, they worked. When the children came home from school, they began their chores, the boys worked with their father; the girls for Big Mama, cleaning house, cooking the evening meal, and washing clothes.

Earl, the oldest, married the first year of college. Big Mama didn't like Ellie as she was a social climber and Big Mama had big plans for her sons. She didn't want them to marry just anybody and Ellie, being raised by "white trash" was a thorn in her side.

Determined to break them up, Big Mama restricted their monies throughout their marriage. Ellie determined to have it all, did what she could to break the family apart, taking in the new girlfriends/fiances, under her wings, filling their heads full of lies. It worked.

Ellie was found out when Big Mama became sick.

Dell, the youngest son married Laurie in 1970, two years after leaving college. Laurie became Big Mama's favorite, as she was from prominent family.

Finally, a son was getting into the social circles the right way, and Big Mama had plans for them.

A house came on the market on The Boulevard which was rare. It wasn't Big Mama's style, but it was on The Boulevard.

Little did Big Mama know that Ellie was taking Laurie in and under her wing filling her ears with outlandish, but somewhat true stories about the family she was getting into.

It seems that the two youngest boys and girls slept in the same room with their parents from birth until they were each 15 years of age. No reason was given, it was just Big Mama's way of control.

Laurie began to find out what this control meant, when she caught Dell making obcene phone calls three years into their marriage. She wanted to divorce, but after counseling by Big Mama, didn't.

"It's just a man's way," she affirmed.

"But Big Mama, I don't know...this was weird. I heard him saying awful things."

"I know honey child, but men do this."

Laurie knew different. Her father didn't do this and when she confronted her parents with the revelations, her daddy wanted her to divorce Dell. She didn't, at least not then.

When Big Mama got sick. Ellie moved in. Not literally, but into Big Mama's office, as though she knew Big Mama wasn't coming back. In the hospital, Big Mama told Laurie that she needed to be wary of Ellie. "Ellie is a snake in the grass and I can just bet what all she has told you. You need to be careful girl, Ellie is not to be trusted."

Big Mama was right. She wasn't cold in the grave until, Ellie was sporting her rings. When approached, she said Big Mama had said they were to be given to her. Not! Laurie knew better. Big Mama would be turning her grave to know that the snake was wearing her treasures.

The day of the funeral, Ellie had Papa Mason moved in with them...that is until he could get over her death. Six months later Papa Mason was dead. Laurie feared that Ellie had done something to cause his death...and she had.

The daughters had come home and left right after Big Mama's funeral. Seeing Ellie wearing their mother's ring, they became furious and let it be known in the big house on the Boulevard.

The strange things about the house. Big Mama lived in the house next to their shop, buying the big house and only going to it on Sundays after church each week and on holidays. Her office was in the "living room" of the house next to the shop and Big Mama reigned from that position.

Now the big house on the Boulevard was full of folks paying their last respects when Ellie was slapped by not one but both of the sisters. Diane and Rae felt their place in the family had been defiled by their sister-in-law Ellie's lies and told their father so in front of everyone.

Two days later, at the attorney's office, more horrendous facts came out. For the six children, the estate was divided in half, one-half going to Papa Mason and the other half divided 7 ways.

The younger siblings looked at one another wondering why it was divided into 7th's...since there were six. Then the bombshell...the eldest would get 2/7ths and the rest 1/7th. When Papa Mason died holy hell broke loose when all of his share unexpectedly also went to the eldest.

Fearing family melt-down, Ellie declared that it was only right since her husband had worked longer at the business.

The estate was quite large and the division of property was substantial, however, it was the repulsion of how it was accomplished. Ellie would gain the most, by becoming the "new" matriarch of the business and no other sibling was asked to remain so.

So split the family. Laurie and Dell divorced as did the other siblings and spouses. Only Ellie and eldest son remain married to this day.

Old Bud's Latter Generations

The Sally Bee house sits stoic on the hillside right off the main square. Recently sold on the auction block, the contents were spectacular.

How in the world did Miss Sally Bee afford all these luxuries? Speculation and rumor fired up once more.

Miss Dalley, the maid, just stayed in the background with her daughter, Booty. They shook their heads and gave one another long glances as the nair-do-wells poked and proded through the house.

"Mama, Miss Sally would have a fit if she saw this going on!"

"Yes she would baby girl, but that's the way of things now-a-days. I'm just glad Miss Sally had me torch those personal things she didn't want others to see. All she had was the last note Mr. Bud gave to her and she held onto it until till she passed."

"You still got that note, don't you Mama?"

"Sure do and ain't gonna destroy it. It was precious to her as was Mr. Bud."

"Mama, why didn't they get married? They loved one another so."

"Because, baby girl. Mr. Bud wanted to but Miss Sally said, ""If you can't be faithful to me only Bud, I will not marry you!""

"Poor Miss Sally."


Even Old Bud's nieces came to the sale. They wanted to be nosey and see just what "their" money had bought all those years as Old Bud had left Miss Sally fixed in his will.

The sisters, Mary Lou and Jessie Fawn, snickered as they went into Miss Sally Bee's bedroom.

"Bet they had a good time in here!"

"Hush Fawn! You don't want to add to her mystique, do you?" said Mary Lou.

"Well, at least we aren't anyone's whore now are we?"

"Gurl, she could have been our aunt, hush!"


Problem was they both were whores. Little did they know that their own Mama was a richly paid one in New Orleans where their Daddy, Old Bud's brother, Ben spent many a weekend.

Ben was the younger brother of Old Bud. He was just in his prime when they struck the first well. Buying the first 50's Cadilac convertable , that next Friday, he left and headed south with the top down.

According to Ben, he met Jennabelle in the Quarter strolling down the street. He didn't mention that it was Bourban Street. Nor did he mention that it was the best sex he had ever had , or the first sex he ever had.

Jennabelle had just been shopping and saw the car slow down with it's occupant staring at her. She nodded and he stopped.

"Can I give you a lift?" he asked.

Jennabelle was excited to see a man with real money and accepted the ride.

Ben and she had a wild time that first weekend. She knew he was in-experienced and felt a giddiness as he was a promising mate. Never did Ben imagine that he was becoming the biggest sucker in history as he couldn't imagine Jennabelle's intentions.

Three months later, Ben brought home his new bride. They settled into Aunt Jonny's apartments right off the boulevard for their wedded bliss. The family had suspicions about Jennabelle's past, but since Ben was so happy, they accepted her.

Aunt Jonny called her a Jezebel, a woman who is scheming and evil. Aunt Jonny was right.

3rd house on the Right

3rd house on the right was an oil barron who made it after the depression when his family found a huge field of oil and gas on their poor property that wouldn't grow dirt. But they did grow in stature with the community.

Sounds like the hit show of the 60's, The Beverly Hillbillies. They knew nothing of social skills, but aquired them slowly after the monies started pouring in during the early 40's and still today.

Stories of the "latter generations" will fill you in on the ravages of how money destroyed those same folks.

Old Bud was a character in his own right. He was a true hustler working day and night once the oil was discovered. He knew from WWI that our great country needed the petroleum to make our men winners on the battlefield, which he never saw.

Old Bud challenged many to a duel over a woman, or should I say 'women' of our fair delta land. Believe you me, the women were hot after him too. Although he never married, it came as no shock to the family, that he had many a hussy for his exploits. After all, he needed his refreshments like a horse needs water from a well and his well, that is Old Bud's well never ran dry.

One of his favorite companions was Miss Sally Bee. She was a gorgeous woman and men, which men, were always after. Providing the cover of school librarian, it wasn't well known by the women of the community that she did have her admirers. Nor did they know she was Old Bud's favorite.

So favored was her wares, that Old Bud built a house for her in the hills. A perfect rondeveaux, place, Old Bud never let it be known that he truly loved her. She was chaste until Old Bud and remained so after his death. Never asking for anything, Old Bud made all her dreams come true with the exception of bearing him an heir.

Not that he wanted any, but when she did conceive, she lost them just as quickly. There was never an explanation, and she refused to see a doctor, fearing the truth of her life be known.

Old Bud was riding in the fields one day and met an untimely death. His jeep flipped, throwing him into a bar pit, thus drowning in his own brew.

When word came to Miss Sally Bee, tears welled up in her eyes; though never a drop spilled down her cheeks.

It was said that she spent the rest of her life in the house he built and never saw the light of day again. A mere, 30 years old at his death, she lived until her death at 94, being cared for by her maid and her maid's children.

Upon her death only a brief love letter from Old Bud was found clutched in her hand, as was a smile on her face.

Old Bud's brother and sister received the family fortune and their heirs after them with Miss Sally Bee provided for handsomely.

And Along The Side Streets

Bless Harold's heart for giving the idea of this blog title to me.

His name will be the only real name to appear in this bookblog...as I would probably be run out of town otherwise.

And who could I blame? Because I am going to open some eyes, reveal the unrevealed, and shake some dust off the feet of those liars, connivers and surly, burly, filth that lived in these abodes of style.

Noted for its beautiful line of 100-year-old oak trees, I hesitate to begin this blog.

For one, just how many towns are lined with 100-year-old oaks which for the most part have been manipulated by city workers to resemble toothpicks?

And let us not forget the destruction by property owners doing the same, as they wanted to grow the lush green carpets of grass needing to be cut twice a week.

Stupidly, they were providing yaaardwork for the city's yaaardmen. Many of these yaaardmen were the same ones recently released from prison looking for yaaardwork and houses vulnerable and ripe for the picking.

I know, as I had one of those homes being picked.

But again, I digress...as I wanted to speak about the inhabitants and their lives on this once majestic avenue.

It used to be that the only way to live at one of these addresses was to inherit it and many did and do still.

However, with the loss of the long time industrial base, bankruptcy of big plantations and some smaller businesses, let alone the politics of corruption; its no wonder why many of the once stately homes are now for sale.

Many of the sellers have moved away to better opportunities, retirement, but most likely, because of higher taxes and NO representation.

Yes, things have truly changed in the nearly fifty years of living here.

The original street was laid out with huge antebellum homes occupying 5 acre plots.

After the WWI and the Great Depression, city fathers, in order to build and grow the northern end of town, divided the five acre plots into fourths.

The town had to grow, thus "Along The Side Streets" completes the rest of the story.

For it was some of these Nair-do-wells on the side streets that brought incredible diverse life to the "elite".

It was not optional for the elite of whether they give parties or not. They were, in fact, required to provide a "stage" from which Nair-do-well devotees provided them entertainment.

Under their breath, it was known that the elite actually called the devotees, "Worshipers of Wealth."

It was after all, the carpetbaggers lot in life to "bring culture to their fellow man" in the Mississippi Delta.

I first heard that statement in the late 70's, from a Wannabee.

Although married to a filthy rich entrepreneur, she had as much class as my right index toe. Sure, she attended Sweet Brier College...on a scholarship, duh.

But, back in the early 50's that was saying something. Her family, as she so boldly spoke,"Were sharecroppers in South Carolina and she and Dick met in New York at the Met with a friend's introduction."

Oh please! They brought culture to the Delta? Yeah right!

What she did bring into Delta society was the first inter-racial parties, which raised many an eyebrow.

Speculation had it that she was seeing a very influential black man and she would do anything to please him. She would display her affection by supposedly, and "covertly", touching him at her parties.

But again, I get ahead of myself...so back to the Boulevard...as she did not reside on that street on any occasion.

However, I was raised in a newer elitist neighborhood just 3 blocks away.

Initially, all I knew about that street was that it was the only one on our side of town that had sidewalks which were a treat for us kids to ride our bicycle down.



Beginning at the beginning of the street, the first house belonged to one of the founding families of this fair village.

An impressive and stately old white house sat on the corner which courted a magnificent staircase at the front and center, which once climbed, you saw a grand porch giving shelter to marvelous old Boston ferns, white rockers, gliders and swings all flounced with fluffy pillows and such.

Painted green, the porch floor was hidden by giant azaleas brought from southern Georgia many years before. The deep green paint never would provide clues to the horrific hidden deed.

The side porch, facing the river, was screened in with rockers and old Hunter ceiling fans that stirred the heat on hot summer nights.

It was at this very front door, that the Johnstown's favorite son shot himself to death. He had suffered from deep depression most of his life. However, active within the community, it still came as a great shock to hear he had done this dastardly deed.

Some speculated that he had been murdered with the gun placed in his hand, but no one could imagine by whom or why.

As time passed, Peter was discovered to live a distinctively different lifestyle. His many trips to Memphis offered him a variety of treats. None served him better than the establishment of Fannies.

A standard fare at Fannies were the He-Shes and Peter had been introduced by this lifestyle in a weird way. For his 16th birthday, his father, an infamous Judge, sent Peter with his brother to be deflowered.

Excited about his birthday surprise, Peter thought he was going to get a real prostitute and he did. Miss Sonya was one of his uncle's favorites. He kept telling Peter "she" would do anything, and "she" did.

When Peter realized what was up, he first enjoyed his new experience. It was not until he returned home, and wanting to take his pleasures to his girlfriend, Jesse, did he wake up.

He and Jesse had fooled around, maybe making it to third base. When approached with his desires, she wanted nothing to do with his "pleasure".

Although Jesse loved Peter, she broke up with him. Her friends and family shocked at the end of their high school romance, Jesse told them what had happened. Good girls didn't perform that way sexually. Tales spread quickly and soon Peter was off limits to every decent girl.

Depressed, Peter returned to Memphis often, seeking more and more, becoming defiant in his desires. No one saw it coming, not even his father.

Knowing he had been the cause of his son's suicide, he hit the bottle and died a year later of a heart attack.