Early morning New Orleans….
In many ways my favorite part of every visit to New Orleans (NOLA) is the early morning walk through the French Quarter. This walk always offers an opportunity to observe the activities of the night before. This morning we saw a police officer negotiating a small fender bender. The “offender” was pulling hundred dollar bills out of his wallet attempting to pay off the man whose car he had bumped. There were the usual folks stumbling drunk down the street trying to figure out where their hotels were. And, more than one man trying desperately to get money out of an ATM while his “escort” from the evening waited for her payment. We saw one young man who had simply passed out in a door way. Meanwhile all around the street cleaners and shop and bar owners power wash the street after a busy night…I’m sure they are hoping for another night just like last. [Note: the last time we were in New Orleans we watched a woman wrapped entirely in cellophane being arrested.]
After the traditional breakfast of grits and eggs at Mothers (a New Orleans staple for the locals and tourists alike) we were walking back to meet the bus when we saw the flashing lights that signal an emergency. As we approached we saw in the intersection a car that was “totaled.” Off to the side was a truck that was upside down, the rescue workers had broken out the back window in order to extract the driver. A group of distraught women, the passengers of the car, sat in their maids’ uniforms giving details to the police officers. It’s a wonder they walked away from the accident. Though I guess being in New Orleans one realizes that anything is possible.
As we approached the hotel, we noticed two Indian women wringing their hands as they stood next to the car they had just attempted to parallel park in front of the Subway restaurant where they work. Even my newly licensed 16 year-old son Travis could have done a better job! So, in his usual fashion, Dr. Smith told the woman that he would park her car for her. She gave him the keys (he considered driving away J) and proceeded to park her car. He had indeed completed his good deed for the day.
All of this before 9 AM. We are off to ACORN and a tour of the devastation in New Orleans. More later.