In lieu of an abstract, here is a brief excerpt of the content:

CHAPTER 14 Conversations in the Singles Society Erma Jean: Dating Strategies of a Single Mother Erma Jean is thirty-four, husbandless with three children from the ages of seven to sixteen. She lives in Jelly Roll with her elderly mother in a dilapidated rent house, dependent on the combined income of her mother's social security and her A.F.D.C. and food stamps. She is a long-term welfare recipient, having worked only briefly as a part-time employee in the furniture plant; but when this supplemental income jeopardized her welfare benefits, she quit the job and has not sought employment in several years. She is an attractive, intelligent, always well-groomed woman who "has to stay slim and stay sharp to make a good hustle." At the time of this interview, Erma Jean was "between men," in something of a financial bind, and in a generally agitated state of mind: Mama and lowe everybody in this county. I've got hot checks all over town. Man, if I don't put a good hustle together, they're comin' to get me! I don't mind telling you, it's buggin' me. Since Fred and me split, I just haven't been able to put it all together. I've gotmy hooks out. I'm workin' at it day and night; but I'm not a twenty-five dollar girl. Most of these men can't afford me. Not around Calion anyway. They don't make enough.... I drive to all these little out-of-the-way honky tonks that are fifteen miles or more away from here. I'll sit at the bar talkin' friendly, laughin' with everybody. Pretty soon somebody will buy 110 you a drink, then another, get you a sandwich, give you two dollars for the juke box to keep it steady jumpin'. Most of the time I only have to put in a quarter or two, and can pocket the rest. I pick up as much as twenty bucks a night that way.... I like the little joints set cozy-like back in the woods out of the way. You'd be surprised the men you meet in places like that - church folks, high class. Of course. most ofthem are married. Hey! That's why they're out in the back woods where they won't be seen. You'd be surprised at who I meet -lots of high-paid types, the kind that don't mind making your car payments if it suits them. Play it cool! Meet them somewhere for a night or weekend. Everybody's my friend when I'm at a joint, but I come alone and leave alone. I travel light. Me, the good Lord, my car and 1. Wemakeour own deals, pull us a bone. I let every town furnish its own men [laughs]. Now don't get me wrong. I'm no hooker. I don't go down like these young girls with every old Tom, Dick or Harry that asks. These girls around here trade these Calion men back and forth like baseball cards. They let their name be in the street for twenty-five dollars. Not this girl! I don't have anything to do with these cats around town. It's too close, and all they do is talk about you in the streets. It's bad enough even if you don't do anything. They make up fantasies about you anyway. But sleep with one of them one time, and it's all over town. Now, one of these preachers here in town could walk down the street buck naked, and the next time they see him it would still be 'Howdy, Reverend So-and-So.' He's still got his name, understand? But all I have to do is have one little party with one of these dudes and forever after they'll say, 'There goes that whore, Erma, I've had her... .' I've had it with these young bucks. They don't want to spend anything on you. Most of them can't talk, don't want anything but a one-night stand. They just want to get in your pants. Shake you up, bang you then buzz off leaving your body aching in every joint. I've got so I prefer older men. Like the song says, 'Men with that easy touch.' Take you out to nice places for lots of talk. Sometimes you justgo out and eat...

Share