It’s been a hot, sticky, rainy week in the city. One that has been most enjoyable. It’s been a calm week, one that I feel has had a lot to offer in terms of exploring and where I have found the most fun pockets of the city.
“But there is much to be said for giving up such grand ambitions and living the most ordinary life imaginable...”
I’ve now seen Lake Pontchartrain, something I had been looking forward to seeing since we arrived in New Orleans. It’s a bit underwhelming, there is no beach or clear blue water to be found anywhere, but I was also not expecting that. There are only steps leading to a dark, vast expanse of water. You cannot see to the other shore, only the horizon. A good place to start the search for the meaning of life, although I advise the opposite.
It is simply that, a lake. There are people on boats celebrating memorial day, no doubt having a better time than I am in the heat of the almost-summer. But still, I’m glad to have seen it and am ready to go back to the comfort of the AC in the van. To tell you the truth, I’m not really sure what else I did that day. Clearly nothing exciting.
Is this what Binx Bolling feels like in Gentilly? Bolling, the wonderful protagonist in Walker Percy’s The Moviegoer, lives in Gentilly and despises the French Quarter. Binx appreciates a simple life, one that I assume involves sitting on the shores of Lake Pontchartrain and searching for the meaning of life. He would hate to see what I have in store for the rest of the week.
Tuesday it seems the French Quarter defines my existence. Something that would cause Binx to roll in his grave. I saw a great performance at Preservation Hall, a humble and sweltering building that has no air conditioning. During a lull in the performance the trumpet player comments, saying it’s not that hot if “you don’t think about it.” All I do is think about it. I think of myself as a pessimist, a live performance in front of me and all I can think about is how hot it is in this room. No matter, I still enjoyed it very much!
A handsome man.
When we exited the small building my friends and I popped over to a bar across the street, truly a hole in the wall but it had the most delightful surprise. It was called Clyde’s Corner, Clyde being the owner’s dog. He was very friendly and wore a bright green vest. I would come in just for Clyde, but to my benefit they also had great frozen strawberry daiquiris. At this point it had started to rain, making me want to go home but the way the day continued, I’m glad I didn’t.
We ran through the rain, making our way to a favorite of ours: The Garage. Described as a music club, I have never seen more than a few people in there. There’s pool tables, hurricanes, and speakers blasting random pop music; maybe not everyone’s cup of tea, but it is mine. My friends and I share a hurricane and play a round of pool; I’m lousy at it. We only have time for one round, but it was still plenty fun. Still, there are only about two other people in the bar in addition to us, maybe a well kept secret. Or maybe I just haven’t seen it on a Saturday night. Something tells me Binx would despise this place. It is still raining when we leave so we decide to take a Lyft, something Binx would definitely hate; good thing I am not him and he is not me. The rain leaves with Tuesday; Wednesday is a new, sunny day. We leave New Orleans and escape to Gretna, Louisiana; there is nothing there, so why are we? A very important reason: to find cowboy boots. Gretna has two things going for it: a Waffle House that I will be going to before I leave, and Cavender’s Boot City, our target. It’s about a 10 minute drive until we reach boot city and, eventually, we are dropped off in a seemingly empty parking lot, the only thing there being the store and a Wendy’s that I will eat at later.
Boots are made for walking
I have cowboy boots but Alice needs some; we proceed to spend roughly an hour while she picks some out. I tried some on as well but the selection isn’t great. I still have a great time. She selects her cowboy boots and we are out of there, on our way back to the French Quarter where we do some more shopping and exploring.
Do you think Binx would wear cowboy boots?
Thursday and Friday are filled with more mundane activities of existence, but I think that’s the point. I’d say nothing this week was extraordinary, but filled with happiness; I did new things, tried new food, saw new places, nothing crazy. I think it’s important to fill your life with little things that you can look forward to; it doesn’t always have to be a concert, or a trip, or something big but rather shopping, a movie night with friends, dinner, anything! Just something to distract you from your mortality…
I’m just kidding. But really, there is joy to be found in the ordinary and I think that gets taken for granted. Binx searches for meaning in his life, unaware that he has found it through his walks, his movies, his opinions, yet he understands that his value does not depend on his contribution to society. Binx may be stuck in his own world most of the time, but it's his. The world revolves around Binx for all he knows, a sentiment I think we should all adopt at some point or another. Existence isn’t based on anyone else but yourself, and I think it’s time we start living that way.
“Don’t you feel obliged to use your brain and to make a contribution?
No’m.”