| Biographical Non-Fiction posted July 28, 2020 | Chapters: |
...52 53 -54- 55... 
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Miscellaneous things our first year in New Orleans.
A chapter in the book Remembering Yesterday
First Year and First Mardi Gras
by BethShelby
| Background When we first transferred to New Orleans with my husband's company, we lived in an apartment in Metairie. This chapter is about a number of memories while living in the apartment. |
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Our life in the apartment in Metairie lasted about ten months, during which a hodgepodge of incidents stand out in my memory, many of which are not memorable enough to merit over a paragraph, so please bear with me if this portion seems disconnected.
Strange items began appearing in our apartments regularly such as posters and other things I’d never seen before. When I questioned the children, I learned that the kids in the complex, including mine, made a regular habit of dumpster diving. Their favorite time was when someone was moving out of an apartment and was trying to rid themselves of unnecessary baggage. One kid almost got himself loaded off to the dump when the garbage truck appeared unexpectedly.
***
Once someone left three new rock albums on my car. They were still in unopened cellophane and probably expensive, but not my taste in music. They were Led Zeppelin, Cream, and Black Sabbath. I didn’t want them, but we couldn’t find the owner. Carol eventually gave them to her rock fan cousin.
***
Christi had made a friend at school that lived in a nearby apartment. She came over a few times, and after she left, I began to notice a few little things missing. One thing was a magnifying tool, called a linen tester, that Christi admitted they had been playing with. It was something I’d bought in Jackson and used on my job at work. There were also some odds and ends from my jewelry box missing. The child’s mother was a teacher, and I dreaded having to let her know her child was stealing. I had Christi ask the girl if she had taken the things, but she denied it. Apparently her mother noticed the items and made the child return them. After that, she wasn’t allowed over for visits again.
***
One night, a man who lived in a nearby apartment came over and asked you if you drove into New Orleans every day. You told him you drove part of the way and rode the bus the rest of the way. He said his car had broken down and asked if he could ride with you the next day. You agreed, and he continued riding with you everyday. It appeared that he didn’t intend to get his car fixed. It wasn’t sitting well with you. He’d never offered to help you with gas, and you finally told him this was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, and you would like him to find another way to work. You felt he was taking advantage of you.
***
Three trips to the emergency room stand out. The first involved Christi. The kids in the apartment complex couldn’t seem to stay away from the construction site one lot over. They had been chased away several times. One day, Christi came home wearing a half inch piece of metal pipe on her finger that she insisted made a good ring. Unfortunately, it went on easily enough, but neither soapy water, butter, nor anything else we could find, would remove it. It had to be cut off in the emergency room, and Christi was sure they were going to cut off her finger as well. She earned another trip when she got her little finger caught when the car door was slammed. This time, I was the one who was afraid that she'd lose a finger, but it was only slightly bruised.
Another trip came about when Don decided to explore a box in which you kept your fishing lures. I have no idea how that hook got so deeply embedded in his leg, before he realized every twist he made trying to release it, caused it to become more deeply entrenched. I couldn't imagine him trying to get it out himself, because it really looked painful. His fear of hospitals had to do with an aversion to needles. He dreaded the tetanus shot more than the hook in his leg.
***
Privacy in the apartment was a problem, and it played havoc with our love life. The locks didn’t work well, and it was impossible to make the children go to sleep on command. One night in the middle of an intimate encounter, the top popped off the laundry basket at the foot of my bed and Christi shouted “Surprise!” She was right. It was a surprise; most likely for her as well. However at eight-years-old, I doubt if she suspected her mom and dad might be involved in anything out of the ordinary. She was pretty naive. When she managed to find, and open a pack of condoms, she told me she had found the perfect material for making a raincoat for her Barbie.
***
In February, New Orleans celebrated Mardi Gras. Parades had been going on for several weeks, but we were waiting for Mardi Gras day, which is always celebrated on the Tuesday before Lent. I was looking forward to that since I heard so much about it. Our church on St. Charles Ave. was right beside the parade route. We were told they would open their basement and provide some refreshment for anyone who wanted to have a place to see the parade or take a break with access to restrooms. We decided to go, having no idea what to expect. As we drove toward the area, we were amazed to see all the cars and excitement going on. All the businesses were closed, and the city was in full carnival mode. We drove around, and quickly learned, parking was going to be almost impossible.
We ended up getting back on the interstate wondering what we should do. By the St Charles St. exit, several cars were pulled off on the side of the exit ramp. It's illegal to park on an interstate exit ramp, but the cars were parked there. “Apparently the rules don’t apply on this one day of the year. Everyone is parking here, and there is one space left. Let’s get it before someone else does,” I suggested. “Well there is nowhere else to park. I guess we have no choice.” you said. The whole family piled out and went to see what Mardi Gras was all about.
The walk over to the church only took a few minutes, in spite of the crowds milling around. The parade route was already about four or five people deep, although the parade wasn’t due to start for another hour. We found a spot across from the church. People were pushing carts up and down the street, selling drinks and cotton candy. Some people wore purple eye-masks and everyone was in a festive mood. There was the smell of beer and caramel in the air. Everyone was carrying bags to gather loot which they would accumulate as the floats passed. Purple, gold and green streamers were everywhere.
Eventually the parade started with marching bands playing parade music, and Shriners and clowns driving in little cars. When floats started passing, the people on the floats were in elaborate costumes and the floats were grandly decorated each with a theme. I learned later that the day after Mardi Gras work begins on decorating for the following year. People started screaming, “Throw me something, Mister.” and showers of doubloons and beads and all sorts of other trinkets started raining down on us.
We had our hands full trying to keep the kids from getting lost in the crowd. I was as excited as the children. More than one parade passed. The parades are put on by clubs called krewes and most of them have names of Greek or Roman gods like Atlas, Zeus or Poseidon. This went on most of the day. We accumulated bags of trinkets. I was picking up everything that hit the ground. At one point, a big angry-looking dude dropped the comb from his Afro, and I grabbed it, thinking it was a trinket from the float. I thought he was going to conk me over the head when he snatched it from me and hissed “That’s mine.”
We were all worn out when the parades ended, and we started back to the car. There were no cars on the interstate ramp. They had all been towed away. We were sick. We had to find a pay phone and call a taxi, which took forever. When we got home, we got our truck and some money to pay the fine, and went back to the yard where towed cars are kept. The lot stayed open late, no doubt making a killing off all the towed cars.
The way our evening ended left you with a negative feeling about the celebration of Fat Tuesday, another name for Mardi Gras. You are a person who hates crowds to begin with, and I had a feeling it would be hard to get you to participate again. A whole year would pass before we had to decide about that.
Strange items began appearing in our apartments regularly such as posters and other things I’d never seen before. When I questioned the children, I learned that the kids in the complex, including mine, made a regular habit of dumpster diving. Their favorite time was when someone was moving out of an apartment and was trying to rid themselves of unnecessary baggage. One kid almost got himself loaded off to the dump when the garbage truck appeared unexpectedly.
***
Once someone left three new rock albums on my car. They were still in unopened cellophane and probably expensive, but not my taste in music. They were Led Zeppelin, Cream, and Black Sabbath. I didn’t want them, but we couldn’t find the owner. Carol eventually gave them to her rock fan cousin.
***
Christi had made a friend at school that lived in a nearby apartment. She came over a few times, and after she left, I began to notice a few little things missing. One thing was a magnifying tool, called a linen tester, that Christi admitted they had been playing with. It was something I’d bought in Jackson and used on my job at work. There were also some odds and ends from my jewelry box missing. The child’s mother was a teacher, and I dreaded having to let her know her child was stealing. I had Christi ask the girl if she had taken the things, but she denied it. Apparently her mother noticed the items and made the child return them. After that, she wasn’t allowed over for visits again.
***
One night, a man who lived in a nearby apartment came over and asked you if you drove into New Orleans every day. You told him you drove part of the way and rode the bus the rest of the way. He said his car had broken down and asked if he could ride with you the next day. You agreed, and he continued riding with you everyday. It appeared that he didn’t intend to get his car fixed. It wasn’t sitting well with you. He’d never offered to help you with gas, and you finally told him this was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, and you would like him to find another way to work. You felt he was taking advantage of you.
***
Three trips to the emergency room stand out. The first involved Christi. The kids in the apartment complex couldn’t seem to stay away from the construction site one lot over. They had been chased away several times. One day, Christi came home wearing a half inch piece of metal pipe on her finger that she insisted made a good ring. Unfortunately, it went on easily enough, but neither soapy water, butter, nor anything else we could find, would remove it. It had to be cut off in the emergency room, and Christi was sure they were going to cut off her finger as well. She earned another trip when she got her little finger caught when the car door was slammed. This time, I was the one who was afraid that she'd lose a finger, but it was only slightly bruised.
Another trip came about when Don decided to explore a box in which you kept your fishing lures. I have no idea how that hook got so deeply embedded in his leg, before he realized every twist he made trying to release it, caused it to become more deeply entrenched. I couldn't imagine him trying to get it out himself, because it really looked painful. His fear of hospitals had to do with an aversion to needles. He dreaded the tetanus shot more than the hook in his leg.
***
Privacy in the apartment was a problem, and it played havoc with our love life. The locks didn’t work well, and it was impossible to make the children go to sleep on command. One night in the middle of an intimate encounter, the top popped off the laundry basket at the foot of my bed and Christi shouted “Surprise!” She was right. It was a surprise; most likely for her as well. However at eight-years-old, I doubt if she suspected her mom and dad might be involved in anything out of the ordinary. She was pretty naive. When she managed to find, and open a pack of condoms, she told me she had found the perfect material for making a raincoat for her Barbie.
***
In February, New Orleans celebrated Mardi Gras. Parades had been going on for several weeks, but we were waiting for Mardi Gras day, which is always celebrated on the Tuesday before Lent. I was looking forward to that since I heard so much about it. Our church on St. Charles Ave. was right beside the parade route. We were told they would open their basement and provide some refreshment for anyone who wanted to have a place to see the parade or take a break with access to restrooms. We decided to go, having no idea what to expect. As we drove toward the area, we were amazed to see all the cars and excitement going on. All the businesses were closed, and the city was in full carnival mode. We drove around, and quickly learned, parking was going to be almost impossible.
We ended up getting back on the interstate wondering what we should do. By the St Charles St. exit, several cars were pulled off on the side of the exit ramp. It's illegal to park on an interstate exit ramp, but the cars were parked there. “Apparently the rules don’t apply on this one day of the year. Everyone is parking here, and there is one space left. Let’s get it before someone else does,” I suggested. “Well there is nowhere else to park. I guess we have no choice.” you said. The whole family piled out and went to see what Mardi Gras was all about.
The walk over to the church only took a few minutes, in spite of the crowds milling around. The parade route was already about four or five people deep, although the parade wasn’t due to start for another hour. We found a spot across from the church. People were pushing carts up and down the street, selling drinks and cotton candy. Some people wore purple eye-masks and everyone was in a festive mood. There was the smell of beer and caramel in the air. Everyone was carrying bags to gather loot which they would accumulate as the floats passed. Purple, gold and green streamers were everywhere.
Eventually the parade started with marching bands playing parade music, and Shriners and clowns driving in little cars. When floats started passing, the people on the floats were in elaborate costumes and the floats were grandly decorated each with a theme. I learned later that the day after Mardi Gras work begins on decorating for the following year. People started screaming, “Throw me something, Mister.” and showers of doubloons and beads and all sorts of other trinkets started raining down on us.
We had our hands full trying to keep the kids from getting lost in the crowd. I was as excited as the children. More than one parade passed. The parades are put on by clubs called krewes and most of them have names of Greek or Roman gods like Atlas, Zeus or Poseidon. This went on most of the day. We accumulated bags of trinkets. I was picking up everything that hit the ground. At one point, a big angry-looking dude dropped the comb from his Afro, and I grabbed it, thinking it was a trinket from the float. I thought he was going to conk me over the head when he snatched it from me and hissed “That’s mine.”
We were all worn out when the parades ended, and we started back to the car. There were no cars on the interstate ramp. They had all been towed away. We were sick. We had to find a pay phone and call a taxi, which took forever. When we got home, we got our truck and some money to pay the fine, and went back to the yard where towed cars are kept. The lot stayed open late, no doubt making a killing off all the towed cars.
The way our evening ended left you with a negative feeling about the celebration of Fat Tuesday, another name for Mardi Gras. You are a person who hates crowds to begin with, and I had a feeling it would be hard to get you to participate again. A whole year would pass before we had to decide about that.
 Recognized |
I'm continuing to recall memories of life with my deceased husband as if I am talking aloud to him. I'm doing this because I want my children to know us as we knew each other and not just as their parents.
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