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FL-24-A 845
STATE EDITORIAL IDENTIFICATION FORM STATE: FLORDIA RECIEVED FROM (State Office) JACKSONVILLE MS ENRIQUE AND AMANDA WORDS 7,360 QUOTA STATE GUIDE LOCAL GUIDE NON-GUIDE YES TABLE OF CONTENTS DIVISION LIFE HISTORY: CIGAR MAKER COMPLETE FOR THIS SECTION WHAT PERCENTAGE REMAINS PREFINAL REVISE NO. WASHINGTON CRITICISM PREFINAL REVISE NO. WASHINGTON CRITICISM PREFINAL REVISE NO. II WASHINGTON CRITICISM PREFINAL REVISE NO. WASHINGTON CRITICISM PREFINAL NEW VOLUNTEER CONSULTANT Name Position Address By Carita Doggett Corse Postition State Director DATE July 7, 1939
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January 3, 1939
Adolpha Follato (Cuban) 2315 12th Avenue Ybor City Tampa, Florida (Cigar maker) Stetson Kennedy, writer (Written off-time)
ENRIQUE AND AMANDA
Amanda's house is several blocks east of the cigar factory, on a narrow dirt alley lined with unpainted frame shacks. A group of children playing marbles in the sand includes blondes, dark Latins, and Negroes. They scatter like a flock of chickens when they see our car approaching.
As soon as the car stops they gather around it, climb upon front and rear bumpers, and the running boards, Dark, stout, and smiling, Amanda shouts to the children and comes out to greet us. She hugs my wife Edith, and shakes my hand.
"I been wanting to meet your hus^d a long time," she tells Edith.
We enter the front room and sit in three rickety straight chairs. The other furnishings are a table, a new automatic-tuning radio, and two calendars.
"You'll have to forgive our humble house," says Amanda apologetically.
"I only pay three dollars a week for it, but it's near Enrique's job. They're planning to tear down a lot of those old 'shotgun' shacks, — You know, those old houses one- or two-barrelled shotgun shacks, acording to how many apartments they have. I heard they are going to build big new apartments for Negroes, and make them all move into one section and not be scattered all over like they are now. I don't know as all of them will want to move, but I guess the city will condemn their property if they don't.
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Florida Enrique and Amanda Folklore
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*Enrique made all this furniture out of boxes and things; he made those benches and that table and that caibnet and ice box. He made the ice box out of tin; it keeps ice good, too. Enrique is good like that; he saves us a lot of money. He makes wicks out of old varpet for the oil stove, and he makes vinegar and wine with raisins. "I wish I had nice furniture, but I don't like to go in debt. I don't believe in buying furniture unless you can pay for it. The only thing we owe money on is that radio; it cost thirty-nine dollars and fifty cents and it sure is a good one. It gets all the Cuban stations. "Some people go ahead and buy pretty things and get in debt when they can't afford it and maybe the company takes it away from them and then they lose all that money. There's nothing I hate worse than to have collector men coming to my house all the time bothering the life out of me and keeping me broke. I rather buy good healthy food for my kids and a few little clothes for them to go to school; it don't make so much difference about the furniture. I think it's best to save and keep a little money ahead in case there is sickness or anything like that. It don't look like we are able to get much ahead, though. "When Enrique is working steady he likes to buy better food; you know, he likes to see the children get happy. But I say we better eat the same food, good, but not extra--so we can maybe save for when his job stops." Several children gather in the doorway, staring, and a small boy bobs his blonde head in and out of another door leading to a bedroom. "Themp's all my kids," Amanda says, "and they sure looks like tramps. There is no use for me to wash them in the afternoon when they come home
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Florida Enrique and Amanda Folklore
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from school because by night they have got all dirty again. I just leave them alone till night and wash them good before they go to bed. "They been playing marbles with those colored kids next door. Those colored kids are nice children; their mother, she is a good woman from Georgia. I rather have my boys play with them than with a lot of other kids in this neighborhood. "Besides these four kids here I got two more girls living with my ousin in Key West. She can take better care of them there; she ain't got no kids of her own. That blonde-headed rascal that keeps poking his head around the door is named Jose; he's five years old, and the other boy, Perico is eight. Maria is nine, and Rosa--she's my oldest--is thirteen." Rose says, "How do you do?" She has brown hair, a delicately pretty face,, and intelligent brown eyes. She does not have on any rouge or lipstick, and her cheap house-dress is torn in many places. "You know what?" asks Amanda. "Rosa, thirteen years old, is getting ready to get married. I wish I knew how to knock that idea out of her head." "The sooner I get married and get away from here, the better," smiles Rosa. "He's an Italian," says Amanda, "and I don't want no Italian sono-in-law in the family." "Well, you might as well get used to it," says Rosa. "I love Nicky and I'm going to marry him, no matter what anybody says. He's a very nice Italian. He has a mistake, dark hair, and tall. "He's got blue eyes," adds Amanda.
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