Bridge over Troubled Waters

Scanning through the radio whilst in my car, I came across a local radio station playing "Ode to Billie Joe" by Bobbie Gentry. Not exactly 'pedal to the metal' driving music such as Wagner's "The Ride of the Valkyries" or foot tapping stuff, but since I was driving urban with a few traffic lights to wait at, it gave me a chance to listen to the lyrics.

It was the third of June, another sleepy, dusty Delta day
I was out choppin' cotton and my brother was balin' hay
And at dinner time we stopped and walked back to the house to eat
And Mama hollered out the back door "y'all remember to wipe your feet"
And then she said "I got some news this mornin' from Choctaw Ridge"
"Today Billie Joe MacAllister jumped off the Tallahatchie Bridge"

Since the song was released, the lyrics has had many folks to philosophise on the story behind the story. Billie Joe was apparently the narrators' boyfriend. What exactly was it that they dropped off the bridge? Why did Billie Joe jump?

I on the other hand, wondered where the hell is the Tallahatchi Bridge or even Choctaw Ridge?

After some false Google search leads believe I found it: Panola County, Mississippi which sorta ties up with Bobbie Genty's background of growing up in Chickasaw County, Mississippi. Perhaps Genty's line "Nothin' ever comes to no good up on Choctaw Ridge" reflects the historic cultural antagonism between the Delta whites and "Rednecks" from the hills.

I know nothing of the Tallahatchi river flow but Tallahatchie is a Choctaw name meaning "rock of waters". Maybe he jumped into the waters and hit the rocks instead?

Before my search, I was expecting it to be bridge over the Mississippi which is one mofo of a river to jump into.

When I visited New Orleans a few years ago, we took a boat ride on the Mississippi river. Looking into thefast flowing turgid water, I was amazed at power that the river has. I once stayed with a friend of family in Harvey, Louisiana. The husband told me a story that whilst participating in some commercial construction, he fell into the Mississippi where he said he was swept downstream so quickly but luckily managed to get rescued. Although, I can swim, I was thinking that I would not like to put my swimmiming skills to the test here.

At its headwaters, the Mississippi is less than 3 feet deep. The river's deepest section is between Governor Nicholls Wharf and Algiers Point in New Orleans where it is 200 feet deep ! The Mississippi River Basin or Watershed drains 41% of continental United States.

Samuel Langhorne Clemens wrote extensively about the Mississippi River. He worked as a licensed Mississippi river-boat pilot (1857-61) and adopted his pen name, 'Mark twain!' - meaning by the mark of two fathoms which was the safe depth for the steamboat.

The Mississippi river is also records to the worst loss of life in United States maritime history: the steamboat Sultana explosion. In the early morning hours of April 27, 1865, one of the Sultana’s four boilers exploded and almost immediately set the steamboat aflame. Those who managed to escape into the Mississippi River were met by cold waters near flood stage. More than 2,400 passengers aboard the Sultana, with most of them former Union prisoners of war making their way north from Vicksburg, Miss., to Cairo, Ill. From there, they were to disperse to be reunited with family and friends. Many were swept down river or died from hypothermia. 1700 died.

Even in modern days, the Mighty River still takes it's death toll. On May 29 2007, just as he was to begin recording the follow-up to his acclaimed album, 'Grace,' Jeff Buckley decided to take a swim in a channel of the Mississippi River and was swept away by its raging undercurrents. He was 30 years old.

Ten days after Buckley's body has surfaced, his road manager, Gene Bowen, stands by the riverbank. Looking at the muddy rush of water, he asks, "Why would you even put your toe in that? But it's typical Jeff. He was a butterfly, you know? He was just like: 'Go with it.' "

Another Rock star which has a linkage to bridges and suicide bid is Ritchie Edwards of the Manic Street Preachers. In 1995, Edwards disappeared where the speculation is that he jumped off the Severn Bridge. The Severn Bridge is the link between England and South Wales.

Not that I am contemplating ending it but it has me curious: Which bridges account for largest number of suicides ? I refer to two Wikepedia links: suicide bridge and list of suicide sites.

Number 1 is San Francisco : the Golden Gate bridge. So much for SF's image of flower power and city of love. Even if you survive the fall, the cold waters will get you and the current will take you out to sea. Brrrr.

The second Wiki site I quoted suggests 'Beachy Head' in England has a large number of jumpers. This was site where the character "Jimmy" from the Who's Rock Opera, Quadrophenia drove his moped over the top. The queston then becomes but did Jimmy go with it? A true cliff hanger of an ending.

I was thinking about attempting a humorous ending to this blog topic but knowing many people in my life who have taken their own life, I'll pass on this. One was a teenager, another 19, was at University but survived with serious head injuries. Another a Dad who hanged himself and was discovered by his 11 year old boy.

I just want to say for anyone who may come across this blog searching on keywords, Please don't do it. You may be hurting inside now but think of people you'll leave behind. Suicide is NOT painless.

Phileas Fogg,
Houston Texas
5th July 2008