Mr. Claib, Ms. May, & Tony

By Tony Ferguson

Revealing Tony invites us to re-examine his life and, through it, also our history. It let us look at our own successes and failures that occur in naturally in life, and that our future is dictated through the efforts only we put forth. It also reminds us to never lose focus of our dreams, or let other people steal them.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Jul 20, 2011
• ISBN: 9781477160435

Tony Ferguson

NA

Book preview

Copyright © 2011 by James A. Ferguson.

ISBN:          Softcover                                 978-1-4535-9276-2

                   Ebook                                      978-1-4771-6043-5

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85110

CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

MISTER CLAIB

VS. MR. RATS

TONYLAND IS OVERLAND!

MIS’ MAY

FROM BOYS TO MEN

SCHOOL DAYS

COLLEGE, GROWTH AND MATURITY

FERGISTENSION: CHEESECAKE

FERGISTENSION

STEPPIN’ HIGH, RUNNIN’ WILD!!

CAREGIVING:

MISSION OF MERCY

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Dedication

Mr. Claib, Ms. May and Tony is dedicated to my sons Bryan, Craig and John; to my daughter Rosalind; to my grandchildren Twila, Tiana, Gedall, Elizabeth, Rachael, Jonathan, David and Darius and to my nieces Tiffany and Grace.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The author wishes to thank all of the following who in one way or another contributed so much to the realization of this project. I am indebted to John Stroud who is my friend, without reservation and whose knowledge and expertise is unsurpassed thank you John. To Lesa Connell, who is endowed with much love and compassion that could never be replaced. Thank you Lesa. A special thank you to Dorrance Hazard whose advice and timely criticism inspired me to go a step higher in writing Mister Claib, Mis May, and Tony. Thank you Don. To Grover Reid, whose enthusiasm and wisdom has guided me to yet another pinnacle of achievement… and to Ethel Brown, my play sister who always comes to my aid when I need it the most. Thank you Ethel.

MISTER CLAIB

VS. MR. RATS

My dad, Mister Claib aka Mr. Rats, was born around 1900 in Knoxville, Tennessee. To the best of my knowledge, his parents were of Ethiopian descent. Dad talked about his Folks very often and spoke boastfully about Haille Selassi, the Emperor and how his country brought the Italians to their knees in the war. He was a short little man, about 5’6 tall and walked with a rather fast gait. He reminded me of Napoleon the Great. When dad dressed up he wore a pin-striped Edwardian suit, a pocket watch with a gold chain, Stacy-Adams shoes, a Stetson hat and a walking cane. He topped it all with a big John Ruskin Cigar which he smoked all the time. He loved to play the numbers game called the Policy. This was Mister Claib".

Mom and Dad met very young in Ripley, MS. My mother’s birth name was Mary Vance Vernor, and my Dad’s birth name was John Claiborne Ferguson. My parents fell in love and were married around 1918. My mother affectionately called dad, Mister Claib. They moved to Chicago where they began raising the Ferguson family. Hermia Estella was their first born child. Then came John Claiborne, Jr., David, Wilma Ruth and Mary (Baby Mae). At this time it was coming into the fall of the year and Chicago was getting cold.

Al Capone was building his Empire. Chicago was turned upside down. Herbert Hoover was president. Capone boys were shooting up Chicago Town with real bullets and snow ball fights… They Did Not Play! My dad was right in the middle of this slaughter. He decided to hang it all up, packed his bags and family and got out of Dodge as fast as lightning. He didn’t stop running until he got to Corinth, Mississippi. Mom was pregnant. I, Tony, the fifth child was born and popped out in December 16, 1931 right in the middle of the Depression. Boy was I happy to be out of the frying pan… into the fire. Corinth was very, very cold with plenty of snow. I do not remember wearing shoes then, but I do remember Dad wrapping my feet with newspaper from the Commercial Appeal and the Memphis Press Scimiter to keep my pinkies warm. I don’t remember much about my toddler years, but I do remember my first Tamale when I was about 5 years old. By this time, Kiss Pie (Willie Claudette) Alfonso and Howard Tyrone (Pinkie) were born last by 1938. We all helped to make Tamales