Through The Looking Glass

May 19, 2006 by

The Food Network is on and Rachael Ray‘s voice captures my attention as she says,”…or you could ride the scenic streetcar down beautiful St.Charles Avenue.” I stop what I’m doing and look up.

I remember when she was in town, I was a manager at one of the restaurants she went to. Seeing New Orleans as it was, an evening I participated in directly, was extremely surreal. The streets were so bright and well populated, the atmosphere robust and full of Joie de Vie. I remember it vividly, the music, the dancing, tripping over camera rigs the whole time. It seemed almost glaringly bright compared to the city around me now.

We now dwell in a bizarre parrallel reality, one painted in a palette of debris and ranting politics. John Folse over at WetBankGuide gives his view of the mirror universe:

“With all of the festivals of winter and spring behind us and the Big Day staring us in the face, it seems that everyone is down. Matri reminds us that blogging traffic is off, and some NOLA bloggers like Dangle and Jaybirdo are just letting go. I haven’t talked to most of my local peeps in weeks, the steady dribble of emails from the fall and winter having ground to a halt. Everybody is too damned busy or depressed or angry. Or busy and depressed and angry. “

This is our downfall. We must work together, me must communicate. No matter what happens or which way things go this will be a New New Orleans. Beginings are delicate things. Let’s all get involved. Let’s try not to screw this up…
Tomorrow we will venture out into this blasted realm and cast our ballots. I can’t say I’m fond of the choices, not at all. The Spanish burned us to the ground and we came back. To hell with FEMA. Vote your conscience and cross your fingers.

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