small favors

last night, i went to sleep thinking about New Orleans. i was remembering my first benignet, when i was 9. i burned the heck out of my tongue. i was remembering the French Quarter through the eyes of my 9 year old self-- how scared i was and how much my little brother loved it. i was remembering the bubble gum icecream cone i ate in jackson square, and the street performers, working for tips in the shadow of St. Louis Cathedral. i was thinking how grateful i was that my new orleans family, and my new orleans friends are safe and out of harm's way. and i was praying that city park was fairing well, and that the animals in audobon park were ok, too. i was hoping that the nice lady at pat o'brien's, who gives you mints and paper towels in the ladies' room was ok. i was hoping that the little man who read my palm in jackson square had found a safe place to weather the storm, as well. i was glad that my nanny and fred were safe with the baby Jesus, and high up in a mable wall, and that nanny didn't have to worry about not being able to get shrimp for months.

new orleans is a great town-- it's a giant whore of a town, to be sure, but a whore more in line with belle watling from gone with the wind, than some nasty angry woman of ill-repute. as an adult, i have loved new orleans. i have loved walking through the quarter, hearing the jazz and blues seep seductively out of every crack and crevice on and off bourbon street. i have loved walking off my buzz from a hurricane, and topping it off with a caffiene buzz from too much french market coffee and a hand rolled cigar. i have experienced the perfect poached egg at commander's palace, because brunch is the most important meal of the day. and if you're going to new orleans, leave your diet at home. the perfect night out in new orleans? oh, i've had it, and thank the sweet baby Jesus, i might get to have one again...and this time, i will get the red haired lady to take our picture at pat o's, and i'll keep my glass, too.

and while new orleans is the most famous city getting ripped a new one, it bears repeating that other people in other places need our thoughts, and prayers, too.

Lord, have mercy.

mil besos--rmg