Take The Curtain
Not getting it done sitting here. You are going to need a very long extension pole to paint that Dumaine house if you persist on sitting on your air mattress watching the sun rise, on Rocheblave.
I made the walk to the Canal/Broad paper box this morning, Friday, my day off from work so I can work day. Epictetus was leaning on the box talking to himself, 16 oz. beer in brown wrapper resting on the top of the box. In all my years over here admiring the survival skills of the stoic Epictetus, I was never sure he could talk, or even had vocal chords, but today he's talking fine, if only to himself.
I said good morning to him and he responded similarly and moved away from the box so I could get a paper. I wanted to give him something, a paper or a fiver, but he didn't ask for anything so I chose not to presume his needs. I did ask him if he was doing all right and he said--still standing.
Went to Betsy's, got the special, left a 30% tip.
Chevron is moving out of New Orleans to the North Shore, taking 500 workers with them. See ya, bye, don't let the screen door hit ya on the way out.
Same goes for me though. I'm leaving in a few weeks to resume my duties in the Virginia countryside. Not because it's too hard here or because I think there is no hope for this region but because Virginia/Delaware are part of my world now, and have been for two years.
Even without electricity and gas to my house for the first four months of my stay, this has been perhaps the easiest and most relaxing seven months of my 12 years here. I know it has not been easy for many and I don't mean to make light of the great hardships suffered by many but I honestly see nothing but good here. That the city has come this far 8 months after being underwater is nothing shy of miraculous. That there is still a long way to go is obvious but the New Orleans I have lived in for these years (on Magazine, on Dumaine, on Rocheblave) was in a very real way much more disadvantaged and dysfunctional than the New Orleans I see rising from the muck.
I am eager to reacquaint with my east coast family but equally so, jealous of you getting to stay here.
Thank you to everyone that has been nice to me this trip. To my neighbors, the Sculptor, the Chauffeur, The Smiths, Mr. Clarence, FreddyB, Raheim, and to those who invited me site unseen into their homes for food and drink and on those coldest days this winter, an occasional hot shower. I tip my glass to Laureen, EditorB, Cade Roux, and Rene. And to my blood, renting Uptown while they prepare to rebuild in Lakeview, I offer you my admiration and love, which you can either accept or trade right now for a six pack of Guinness, or what's behind curtain number 1 (and the crowd yells--take the curtain, take the curtain!)
Well, if you gotta go, getting out before this hurricane season seems smart. Hurry back though.
We went to Betsy's before JazzFest last Sunday and there's a story I'm supposed to write about it according to Chrissie, but I assume it's similar to the one behind your magnanimous tip.
I probably can't do it justice here laying on my back in bed with my laptop on my chest, since we need to get rolling to the fest again today, but we arrived and got a table and noticed that our neighboring table's patron kept getting up to bus tables. A discussion ensued with her husband, and she was an impromptu volunteer (apparently another regular was in the kitchen). The other half of our party was a renewing New Orleanian (taking a new job here after leaving a year ago) and a Tulane med student who was only temporarily here for the Fest (having moved to Texas with Tulane). Well those two took my suggestion to heart to do the same, and they bussed tables and served coffee. After our food arrived, I started to notice other patrons starting to do the same!
They comped our check despite our objections, so what we left was something like 120% tip, I guess.
What about that blue? It's the same old Betsy's, yet it isn't!
The preview post option didn't seem to work, BTW:
Warning: Failed opening '/home/dmtree2/public_html/system/preview.php' for inclusion (include_path='') in /home/dmtree2/public_html/system/selector.php on line 183
I could not retrieve the parent post from table blog.
Louisville,
I've enjoyed reading youe notes and letters very much. Like your sense of humor and eye. You'll still stay in my favorites bookmarked for future tales from NO. Thanks
I've also had problems with the preview for comments.
Those sky blue walls at Betsy's are something different, for sure. I was so glad to see them open again.
that comments preview has never worked right. can you fix that up with some caulk, jimL?
I never use the preview so I didn't know. I'll either fix it or remove it. Sorry about that.
I can caulk it but I don't use preview either, just post and then if necessary edit after the first read through and then re-post.
I have a system that...oh, never mind.
Wish JimL Happy Birthday May 6
Jim, just sent you an email to the email address I used in April and it bounced back as an error...let me know if you changed it.
Thank you anon HB wisher.
Leslie, sorry to hear about your father's declining health, I got your email, the address is good, have responded.
And yes, the blue walls at Betsy's just don't quite cut it. But that was cool of you guys to help out. I was struck too by how overworked they were, that same week, but this Friday they seemed a little better staffed, and relaxed.
Happy trails to you.
|
Not getting it done sitting here. You are going to need a very long extension pole to paint that Dumaine house if you persist on sitting on your air mattress watching the sun rise, on Rocheblave.
I made the walk to the Canal/Broad paper box this morning, Friday, my day off from work so I can work day. Epictetus was leaning on the box talking to himself, 16 oz. beer in brown wrapper resting on the top of the box. In all my years over here admiring the survival skills of the stoic Epictetus, I was never sure he could talk, or even had vocal chords, but today he's talking fine, if only to himself.
I said good morning to him and he responded similarly and moved away from the box so I could get a paper. I wanted to give him something, a paper or a fiver, but he didn't ask for anything so I chose not to presume his needs. I did ask him if he was doing all right and he said--still standing.
Went to Betsy's, got the special, left a 30% tip.
Chevron is moving out of New Orleans to the North Shore, taking 500 workers with them. See ya, bye, don't let the screen door hit ya on the way out.
Same goes for me though. I'm leaving in a few weeks to resume my duties in the Virginia countryside. Not because it's too hard here or because I think there is no hope for this region but because Virginia/Delaware are part of my world now, and have been for two years.
Even without electricity and gas to my house for the first four months of my stay, this has been perhaps the easiest and most relaxing seven months of my 12 years here. I know it has not been easy for many and I don't mean to make light of the great hardships suffered by many but I honestly see nothing but good here. That the city has come this far 8 months after being underwater is nothing shy of miraculous. That there is still a long way to go is obvious but the New Orleans I have lived in for these years (on Magazine, on Dumaine, on Rocheblave) was in a very real way much more disadvantaged and dysfunctional than the New Orleans I see rising from the muck.
I am eager to reacquaint with my east coast family but equally so, jealous of you getting to stay here.
Thank you to everyone that has been nice to me this trip. To my neighbors, the Sculptor, the Chauffeur, The Smiths, Mr. Clarence, FreddyB, Raheim, and to those who invited me site unseen into their homes for food and drink and on those coldest days this winter, an occasional hot shower. I tip my glass to Laureen, EditorB, Cade Roux, and Rene. And to my blood, renting Uptown while they prepare to rebuild in Lakeview, I offer you my admiration and love, which you can either accept or trade right now for a six pack of Guinness, or what's behind curtain number 1 (and the crowd yells--take the curtain, take the curtain!)
- jimlouis 5-05-2006 5:34 pm
Well, if you gotta go, getting out before this hurricane season seems smart. Hurry back though.
- Editor B (guest) 5-05-2006 6:00 pm [add a comment]
We went to Betsy's before JazzFest last Sunday and there's a story I'm supposed to write about it according to Chrissie, but I assume it's similar to the one behind your magnanimous tip.
I probably can't do it justice here laying on my back in bed with my laptop on my chest, since we need to get rolling to the fest again today, but we arrived and got a table and noticed that our neighboring table's patron kept getting up to bus tables. A discussion ensued with her husband, and she was an impromptu volunteer (apparently another regular was in the kitchen). The other half of our party was a renewing New Orleanian (taking a new job here after leaving a year ago) and a Tulane med student who was only temporarily here for the Fest (having moved to Texas with Tulane). Well those two took my suggestion to heart to do the same, and they bussed tables and served coffee. After our food arrived, I started to notice other patrons starting to do the same!
They comped our check despite our objections, so what we left was something like 120% tip, I guess.
What about that blue? It's the same old Betsy's, yet it isn't!
- caderoux 5-05-2006 6:46 pm [add a comment]
The preview post option didn't seem to work, BTW:
Warning: Failed opening '/home/dmtree2/public_html/system/preview.php' for inclusion (include_path='') in /home/dmtree2/public_html/system/selector.php on line 183
I could not retrieve the parent post from table blog.
- caderoux 5-05-2006 6:48 pm [add a comment]
Louisville,
I've enjoyed reading youe notes and letters very much. Like your sense of humor and eye. You'll still stay in my favorites bookmarked for future tales from NO. Thanks
- Marco (guest) 5-05-2006 9:35 pm [add a comment]
I've also had problems with the preview for comments.
Those sky blue walls at Betsy's are something different, for sure. I was so glad to see them open again.
- mark 5-05-2006 10:11 pm [add a comment]
that comments preview has never worked right. can you fix that up with some caulk, jimL?
- dave 5-06-2006 1:08 am [add a comment]
I never use the preview so I didn't know. I'll either fix it or remove it. Sorry about that.
- jim 5-06-2006 1:59 am [add a comment]
I can caulk it but I don't use preview either, just post and then if necessary edit after the first read through and then re-post.
- jimlouis 5-06-2006 4:53 am [add a comment]
I have a system that...oh, never mind.
- tom moody 5-06-2006 9:57 am [add a comment]
Wish JimL Happy Birthday May 6
- anonymous (guest) 5-07-2006 7:20 am [add a comment]
Jim, just sent you an email to the email address I used in April and it bounced back as an error...let me know if you changed it.
- Bordeaux (guest) 5-07-2006 5:55 pm [add a comment]
Thank you anon HB wisher.
Leslie, sorry to hear about your father's declining health, I got your email, the address is good, have responded.
And yes, the blue walls at Betsy's just don't quite cut it. But that was cool of you guys to help out. I was struck too by how overworked they were, that same week, but this Friday they seemed a little better staffed, and relaxed.
- jimlouis 5-07-2006 6:37 pm [add a comment]
Happy trails to you.
- steve 5-08-2006 7:29 pm [add a comment]