Does anyone out there know the term "usta," pronounced "you stuh," with a long "u" sound at the beginning.
If you are from our area, you will be familiar with it. There "usta" be a big two story house on that corner. There "usta" be a nice store in that building. There "usta" be a big festival that took place in that town. For over a half century, we "usta" have an Easter Sunrise Service where everyone in our community participated.
Some of the "ustas" are comical and some are not, but many of us can relate.
I "usta" work all day long in the tobacco fields for a few dollars a day, but you "usta" could buy a good bit for that money. I "usta" buy all my school clothes with my tobacco money. In order to play baseball or football or basketball in town, or be a part of the band, I "usta" stay with my aunt until daddy could come pick me up. There "usta" be a lot of difference in those children who lived "in town" and those "out in the country." Those in town could, at times, participate in many more school events.
We "usta" play outside. When you were told: "Grown people are talking. Go play outside," they meant that. You didn't come in until you were called by the grown people.
Living out in the country and on the farm, there "usta" not be a whole lot of excess time. You came home, you maybe had a little something to eat and drink, did your homework, did your chores, ate supper with the family and went to bed because the school bus came early. We "usta" walk about a mile to catch the bus.
Folks "usta" go to town on Saturdays to buy groceries, visit others and spend the day enjoying folks who came into town. You "usta" have a pair of shoes for school and maybe a pair for Sunday.
Easter "usta" be a big deal. We "usta" have homecoming at our church on Easter. I can still remember the big pots of chicken and rice (pilau) and my granny making the best homemade coconut pies in the world. We "usta" have a big Easter egg hunt in our community the Saturday before Easter. Easter Sunday was devoted to church; in our community we had an Easter sunrise service, Sunday school and church.
My Mama "usta" spend hours at her sewing machine making dresses for my cousins and for her to wear on Easter. She planned way ahead so she could purchase the material to sew those dresses. We "usta" to get new shoes on Easter and folks "usta" dress up for Easter. Ladies wore hats and gloves and the men were dressed in the best they had.
It "usta" be we didn't have a lot of things we have now. We didn't have cell phones or computers and we didn't have but one vehicle in the family. We "usta" be on a party line with the first telephone we got; that means you had several people on the telephone line and you had to wait patiently to talk until someone on your party-line finished their conversation.
We "usta" look forward to school events, sporting events and the county fair and we "usta" look forward to visiting with each other.
In the days of "usta" be, it seems we had more time for each other; more time to visit, to share with each other, to be a community. But, like I said, we didn't have all these things that save so much time. Did I tell you we "usta" rock on the porch for hours visiting with neighbors and out-of-town family?
"Usta," an expression and a place that wasn't all together bad. At times, I sure miss "usta."
From the Eight Mile Still on the Woodpecker Route north of White Springs, wishing you a day filled with joy, peace and, above all, lots of love and laughter. Happy Easter!