The Pig Before The Pen.
An overview of Creole culture in general and Yats in particular.
The things I hear:
“Listen to yourself! You’re putting the pig before the pen. That’s even worse than putting the cart before the horse, and way more dangerous. All you are asking for is trouble.”
That’s my translation. I am not going to transcribe it in Yat dialect. You probably wouldn’t understand half of it if I tried.
I do not listen, but, I do hear things as I sit and read the Wall Street Journal every day in some random café or public space out and about on my daily rounds in New Orleans. Most of the time it is a burbling brook of idle chatter in the background, but, sometimes, something will catch my ear and make me look up.
Putting the pig before the pen was one of those things that perked my ears, as much as the tone of voice in which it was delivered. I stopped listening after that. Whatever this lady is doing is none of my business. I am sure her friend is giving her good advice. I am not a Yat. I am just a man who happens to have made himself at home in New Orleans.
I want to talk about Creole culture in general and my experiences with Yats today, in particular. I didn’t just talk to these ladies today, I actually went to da Parish this morning.
Before I get to that, though, let me take a moment to draw the curtain and then we can continue. I was trapped in the rain so this letter got my undivided attention. It is totally on-topic from start to finish. This is one of my better better stories.
