What in the World?!: A Southern Woman's Guide to Laughing at Life's Unexpected Curveballs and Beautiful Blessings

Growing up, Morgan’s family owned a grocery store that illustrates her early desire to entertain and be in the spotlight, and in the narrative, it becomes a symbol of how intrinsic performing is to her identity. As the only store in town, the Fletchers’ market was a community gathering place where Jimmy, Lucille, and their daughters were the main entertainment. The place “was like [their] family’s stage, where everyone in town came to hang out and visit with [the Fletchers] and watch [them] work” (4). Morgan got her first taste of performing when her mother would sit her on the counter to entertain customers with her stories. She “held court to half a dozen farmers, mama’s friends, and a clutch of grandmas” (4), and everyone laughed when she delivered her punchline. 

This early experience also taught her the power of performance, as she learned from her parents working in the store how to turn everyday activities into an event. Her father made a spectacle out of his “amazing butcher skills,” wrapping the meat up and displaying it “like a Christmas present” (4). Meanwhile, Morgan’s mother checked out groceries, chatting to everyone and “wearing a hairpiece that made her look like Brigitte Bardot” (4). Morgan developed her flair for performance within the safety and support of the family store, while her parents served as a model for how performance can fuel a powerful connection with the audience.