I have
followed James Lee Burke’s novels about his Cajun Louisiana Sherriff, Dave
Robicheaux, since its beginning.
Having been raised in Mississippi I have a fondness for Cajun food,
music and culture.
As an example of Burke's writing in his latest Robicheaux novel, New Iberia Blues, there is a non-liberal, no
bllshit list that would be good to set to memory, to get you through the
roughest bumps in life. It is called:
“Lessons
of Dave
1. Don’t silhouette on a hill
2. Get rid of your jewelry, particularly civilian
junk. Ostentation can put you in a box.
3. Don’t
make enemies with anyone in records.
4. Don’t threaten anyone who knows your location
when you don’t know his.
5. Never piss off people who prepare or serve
your food.
6. Be aware that clerks and secretaries run the
world and own rubber stamps tat can turn your life into a broken pay toilet.
7. Never sass a hack or drill sergeant, or
dull-witted white southerner who has authority over you.
8. Grin and walk through the cannon smoke. It drives the bad guys up a wall.
9. Get the right people on your side. Who would you rather have covering your back
in a back-alley brawl? A liberal
academic or a hobnailed redneck.
10.
Never buy into the acronym FEAR (Fuck everything and run.) Swallow your blood and don’t let others know
you’re hurt. If it doesn’t work spit in
their face.
11.
Even in the most desperate of situations,
stay away from the herd. Situating
yourself between loud oinking sounds and the trough is a surefire way to get
trampled to death.
12.
Burn this list before anyone catches you with it.”
Burke not
only writes a damn good story, but his characters are realistic – flaws and
all. You can pull a lot of lessons for
life from his characters:
It’s only
Rock and Roll
Everyone
dies
Go with
the flow
And try
to have a few laughs
Dave’s friend, Cletus Purcell
If you can’t
read, get the audio books
the Ol’Buzzard
