Thursday, February 23, 2006

I Have This Feeling

Mardi Gras is coming. I’ve been walking around whistling Big Chief. I go to work and there is king cake for all to enjoy. People are happy, even while they are sad.

I feel it. It is different. Whether you’re into Mardi Gras or not, I know you feel it as you walk around town. The difference. It’s in the air.

It’s an unusually high point amongst a mess of low points. If you are here to enjoy it, you are lucky. Many who normally would be here aren’t. And I think about them. But I still enjoy it.

Mardi Gras is coming, and I like it. I’m not talking about the city sponsored Mardi Gras – the parades and all. I still don’t think the city should be spending money it doesn’t have. Besides, whether parades roll or not, Mardi Gras still comes once a year for us. That’s the feeling I am talking about.

But Mardi Gras Day will be a turning point. Carnival will be over. The feeling will go away. Tough things will be said. Tough decisions will be made. We’ve been putting the tough stuff off until after Mardi Gras. I feel like we are about to lose something, a piece of us. We’ve already lost it, but a lot of us haven’t acknowledged it yet.

We were waiting for Mardi Gras. Well, Mardi Gras is coming. Then it will go.

I have this feeling. Things are going to change.

4 comments:

Editor B said...

You're scaring me, man.

Anonymous said...

You'll beg her to spare you, "Debbie, please."But you can't stop Debbie Downer!"

..."you know, after Mardi Gras, New Orleans will no longer be able to resist it's impending soul-crushing sadness. All their hopes will die there, on Ash Wednesday."

WAAAH WAHH....

da po' boy said...

Yeah, I don't know where that came from. Maybe it was the insomnia talking.

Anonymous said...

I'm enjoying it now, especially after my glass beads from Muses! I'm not worried about Ash Wednesday, because 1) I'm named after that day and b) because I'm not giving up alcohol for Lent.