Sometimes art imitates life and at other times it's the other way around. You never know what you'll find when you turn a corner on another magical New Orleans day.
I run into one pleasant surprise after another, after ten years' of previous ones, every single day. Naturally, I would. I live here. Every day is magical. Be a New Orleanian, wherever you are.
HERE IS WHAT HAPPENED ON ANOTHER MAGICAL NEW ORLEANS DAY:
The other day some kids were putting on a puppet show on the front lawn of Sojourner Truth Elementary School, on Dumaine Street. It's about five blocks uptown behind my house.
School's not in session, yet. They were just some neighborhood kids putting on a puppet show and the school has a small lawn in front where they set up their theater. Plus, it was shady. They drew quite a crowd.
I hadn't seen the press releases on Nextdoor.com so I just happened upon it while walking by. There were people all over the lawn, some with blankets, some with folding chairs, some just sitting on the grass. I paid my admission and joined them.
After I got my ticket, Julie saw me and she motioned for me to join her on her blanket. She was with Abe and Kermit. They all made room for me.
What a show. These kids are really good. What do you expect, though? This is New Orleans.
The story was no Heloise and Abelard, and it wasn't Romeo and Juliet, either. It was a love story but not like those.
It was the story of Venerable Henriette DeLille, a local hero around this neighborhood. She is really a hero for the whole city, especially in the downtown parts, but, certainly she is venerated Uptown, too. She got her start in Tremé, which is where we live, so she is especially venerated around these parts.
At the puppet show's end, the whole crowd gave a standing ovation. The puppeteers came out from behind the painted refrigerator box which was their stage, and they took a bow. A few people, probably family members, had brought flowers and they were tossing them at the actors.
A guy with a wagon full of ice and cans of beer showed up and we all bought a can for $2.00 apiece and enjoyed good conversation about the show. He had Big Shot for the kids.
It was better than a night at the Orpheum. It was another magical New Orleans day. There is no such thing as too many of such a thing.
THIS BLOG IS SPONSORED BY LA BELLE ESPLANDE.
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