Day Eight

Honesty may be the best policy, but it’s important to remember that apparently, by elimination, dishonesty is the second-best policy. George Carlin

My apologies for being a few days late with the blog. One thing I have learned here in New Orleans is that things get done, when they get done. You just can’t hurry.

Before I start on today’s ramblings I need to finish off yesterday’ blog. I forgot to let y’all know what I was eating at 10:30 last night. The Verti Mart, as you know, is a frequented place I go to for food. Last night, instead of getting a main with a couple of sides I went for a sandwich. ‘OK’, I hear you say, what’s so special about a sandwich? You be the judge. I went for ‘Ernie’s Power House’ Grilled Shredded Pork, Grilled Shrimp, Bacon, Provolone Cheese, Pepper Cheese, Grilled Mushrooms, Olive Salad, and original WOW sauce. The guy serving, said ‘going for the big boy sandwich.’ The bread roll was a feed by itself. Suffice to say I only ate half of it, and even that was a struggle.

Reading the Picayune this morning and there is a prediction of Thunder Storms for French Quarter Fest. Nothing new in that news! The Festival will go on rain or shine, unless there is lightning about. I am prepared with my poncho and waterproof-booties.

Marsha Owen sent me a message from Virginia. I meet Martha and her husband Ton and their friend (Stacey)last year at Lafayette Square. We had some good times and have become Facebook friends. Marsha is not coming down this year however Tom and Stacey are on their way and we will meet up tonight for the free music in the park series (every Weds through Spring from 5 pm). Could be another musical night as I am also going to Chickie Wah Wahs’ at 8 pm to see Johnny Sansone and John Fohl perform.

At around eleven I wandered down to the French Market for and Egg Salad sandwich and a Bargs’ Root Beer. It is a beautiful day, little cloud cover and bright blue skies. The temperature is on the rise but thankfully there is not much humidity.

It is always sad to see people doing it tough, rifling through rubbish bins for discarded food. It is a sad state of affairs the world over that a civilized society cannot manage to look after their own.

I have cracked the shits with the Internet access at my crib. I think that even Australia’s pathetic N..B.N would be quicker that what I can get here. A good excuse to go around to Envies (2:30) and avail myself to the super quick and free internet as well as partake in a large Iced Latte.

I lady just came into Envies’ and asked the gut behind the counter, ‘how fresh is your carrot cake,? “not very,’ he replied. So she left! Gotta like his honesty.

I have been sitting out front on the porch chatting to Mickey and watching the passing parade. It has got hot this mid-afternoon.

I left at 4 pm for the trip down to Lafayette Square for the music in the park series. From my crib, it is eleven blocks to Canal St, and then a further four blocks to the park. I have always walked in previous years, but this year I am limping badly, and it is still pretty hot. I walked down to the Dumaine Street Car station. The Street Car runs along the river and then turns left onto Canal.

As I strolled to the park a homeless guy asked, ‘have ya got a light’? ‘Nope, sorry, I don’t smoke’. ‘Well ya should,’ he said, ‘it’s good for ya.’

I got to the Square just before five. Just walking those few blocks is so painful. I go alright for a little while, then get a sharp stabbing pain lowdown in my right calf. Buggered if know what I have done.

I got myself a feed of Jambalaya and an Abita and settled in for the first band of the night, Deltaphonic. They are just OK.

I heard my name being called out and turned around to see Stacey and Tom, the friends from Virginia I told y’all about earlier. Well that was the start of a drinking session. Stacey kept buying beers.

The main act tonight is a favourite of Wendy and mine. Eric Lindell. Great music as always. I convinced Stacey and Tom to come to Chickee Wah Wah’s on Canal St, after Eric had finished his set. We caught an Uber and were there just before show time. I said hello to Johnny and his lovely partner Michelle. They both welcomed me back. Johnny has his band with him, including the very talented John Fohl on guitar. After the second song, Johnny started telling the audience how good a place Australia was although he didn’t have any thing good to say about Vegemite. The barman asked me if I knew Brian Wise of RRR.

The Virginians left around 9:30 pm, a little tired and pissed. To be fair they had been up from 2:30 am yesterday for the trip to New Orleans. I wasn’t about to leave as Johnny and the band were ripping the place up. Another couple made acquaintance and told me they were from Boston. He is Captain Tom Broderick and runs a Charter Boat. Tom said. ‘can I buy you a beer’? You can guess my answer.

I got home late and had trouble sleeping again. The last time I looked at my watch it was 3:30 am. It might be a long day tomorrow.

DUMAINE STREET: Louis-Auguste de Bourbon was the illegitimate son of King Louis XIV and his mistress Madame de Montespan. Born in 1670, he was rumored to be the king’s favorite. Beautiful and precocious, he also had one leg shorter than the other. When he was three years old, the king legitimized him by giving him the title Duc du Maine. When it came time for him to marry, many royal families were appalled at the idea of marrying their daughter to a “crippled bastard.” Du Maine married Louise Benedicte, Mademoiselle de Charolais. Their marriage was unhappy; although intelligent, du Maine was considered a weakling, especially compared with his wife’s domineering ways and expensive tastes. The king tried to intervene but deemed it useless and opted “to keep silent and let him wallow in his blindness and foolishness.”

As the king’s bastard son, du Maine was always on the fringe of respectability and acceptance. Although he was one of the original French Quarter streets, New Orleans “bastardized” him a second time, linking the preposition with the noun, forming Dumaine.

Asher, Sally. Hope & New Orleans: A History of Crescent City Street Names (Landmarks) . The History Press. Kindle Edition.