Remembering

Trying to find the inspiration to write on the script, I made a list of some of my memories of New Orleans. This list is certainly not exhaustive:

1. I danced to the Talking Heads at Andy Capps on Carrollton wearing a beret and Madonna lace gloves (does this show my age)
2. I have eaten a Manuel’s Hot Tamale (well, more than one)
3. The ducks in City Park are seriously over weight from being fed too much
4. I played pool at Ms. Mae’s while I was a student at Loyola
5. Speaking of which, Touch Down Jesus?
6. I would kill for raw ersters
7. My Aunt Velma took the bus from Esplanade and Broad to Carrollton and Canal to get her hair done at Antionette’s
8. I saved up all week just to get a burger at Snug Harbor
9. I remember Until Waiting Fills
10. I worked at the Windsor Court Hotel as a cocktail waitress in the mid-eighties. Made really good money! Walked down to the World’s Fair after work to hear the Nevilles.
11. I won the State Championship in Debating in 1983. Now I couldn’t debate to save my life.
12. Saw Nathan and the Zyedco Cha-Chas on a Friday night at the Rock-n-Bowl, then danced to them the following night at Richard and Jennifer’s wedding.
13. Got kicked out of a bar once because one of us was black.
14. I watched my friend Lance play Lancelot in a student production of Camelot at the Loyola open air theatre
15. Our family attorney, Mr Reed, took me to Ruth’s Chris Steak House the night I graduated from Loyola
16. I got married at the Golden Spaceship on St. Charles.
17. I remember three for one Tuesdays.
18. Charlie’s Steak House off Napoleon anyone?
19. My mom’s 3rd Husband Kurt: his pickled okra…
20. I lived on Magazine Street…twice
21. Studying at PJ’s on Maple (the old one on the other side of the road). Funny: Patrick’s initials are PJ
22. Spinach bread from My Daily Bread on St. Charles
23. Drinking daiquiris and eating cheese curly fries at Daiquiris at the River Bend after school. Did we drive after? I’m embarrassed to say, yes.
24. Camellia Grill
25. When I was very young, my Grandpa took me to Woolworths downtown and bought me a milk shake at the lunch counter
26. My Uncle Cleave put three kids through college working at Cafe Du Monde as a waiter

Oh, so soon I will be there. I can already taste it. Just a few short weeks.

Photo from Max Sparber.