Bennett Sewell Art

My name is Gooch Lafooch; I’m a shrimper out of Cutoff, Louisiana.  This boat that I am driving was given to me as is, free of charge, with instructions to take care of it, equip it well, and use it in the service of myself and others.  By and large I have done that, but I did run up on a couple of mud flats in the middle of the night when I was young.  My father used to say to me, “When you show up to dance or fish, you got to go with what you got.”

 

If you think my boat is different, I want you to come on down to Cutoff, when all us shrimpers go out.  We got big boats and little boats, we got white, black, yellow, and green boats; we got some you might call pretty, and some that are otherwise.  But, my friend, I am here to tell you that what your boat looks like does not make any difference.  If you don’t believe me, ask the buyers at the dock when we come in.  My name is Gooch Lafooch, and I stand by everything I say.

 

Hattie Mae:

 

If you do go down to Cutoff, turn your radio to KVPI 92.5 FM Mamoo 9-11 o’clock on Saturday morning.  They’ve been playing indigenous music at Fred’s Bar for the past 50 years.  Make a pass by if you can.  The bar is open.  When you get to Cutoff, go by Marmere’s Café.  Mr. and Mrs. Arceneaux have been cookin’ there on the same stove for a long, long time and that is someum’ in my book.  Order the poule d’ eau gizzard gravy over wild rice and gar balls with mustard greens and their garlic hush dogs with bread puddin’ for desert.  If you live North of I-10, and that’s too strong for you, check out their shrimp gumbo and oyster plate.

 

Gooch is a good man and you’re gonna like him.  He’ll give you the shirt off his back and the wine out of his glass.