When T-Rouge’s mama told her to go down to Maw Maw’s to fetch the butter for her roux, she told that girl to be careful. She ought to bring her bubba along, she told her. “I’m a big girl,” T-Rouge said. “I don’t need any man to bring me anywhere.” Mama told her to stay on the path and speak to nobody. “Not even Parrain?” T-Rouge asked. Mama said she couldn’t answer one more dumb ass question today. She told that girl to stay on the path, don’t talk to nobody strange, get the butter from Maw Maw, and come right on home. Mama said T may be little, but if she thought she could do it herself, so did Mama. T’s mama really was a sweet soul she was. All these little girls always thinking they know better.
T-Rouge heard her mama. She really did. But the path wound around the marsh. There was a quicker way through the mangroves, she knew. Parrain showed her once. Mama will never know. I’ll just say I got to chatting with Maw Maw. After all, Maw Maw was a famous gossip. She knew all the cheaters, beaters, and gulpers from tidal pools to the cane fields.
When T stepped off that path, Mama’s face was all over the clouds forming. Mama’s fingers were the Saltmeadow pulling at her thighs. She trudged onward. When she got to the rope bridge, she remembered the rope bridge. “Aw hell,” she said, then looked around to make sure no one heard her swear. She’d have to cross herself then to save face. She felt silly. No one was around here. “I’m out here on my own!” She yelled. “Hell, hell, hell, hellfire, son of bitch, damn!”
“What’s all that hollerin’ for?”
T-Rouge jumped like a frog in a stepped-in puddle. “Who’s there?”
“Can’t see me, huh,” The voice said. “Better come closer, then.”
“I don’t think so.” T ran to the end of the rope bridge and off the other side. “See ya!”
“I meant me.” T-Rouge felt a pointy tap on her shoulder, and hell be damned, when she turned around, a gator stood on two feet, wearing a crocodile smile. “You look surprised,” Gator said.
T just stared and wagged her finger. Her mother had said something about not talking to nobody strange. But this wasn’t nobody. This was somebody. Something. Some gator. “My mama told me not to talk to strangers.”
“Lucky me. I’m no stranger at all. I’ve lived here longer than you, I reckon.” Gator lounged against the railing of the rope bridge.
“Well…well that’s probably true.” T knew nothing about gator age.
“Probably so. Where ya headed T-girl?”
“My name is Rouge, and I best be on my way.”
“Oh yeah yeah. I’ll bet your mama sent ya on some errands.”
“Just one errand to see Maw Maw.”
“Maw Maw, huh? How many y’all out in this marsh?”
“Enough of us,” T said, growing weary of the conversation and of Mama’s voice booming in her head. “I’ll be going now.”
“Well go on then. Just don’t get all turned about. Everything looks the same ‘round here. Even critters get turned around.”
“I know the way. Parrain showed me. It’s just past the cypress knee that looks like a mountain to the left.”
“Ya don’t say? That’s real nice to hear. Be on your way, clever T-Rouge.”
T waved and ran. She’d never seen a walking, much less talking, gator around here. She couldn’t wait to tell Maw Maw. She had the best gossip, for once. That gator will become the next rougarou!
When she reached Maw Maw’s, the screen door to the porch was broken and a trail of mud wound up the steps. When she looked back at the path she hadn’t taken, she half expected to see Mama standing there with her arms all crossed up.