Christmas Day in New Orleans
I woke up to the sound of someone bawling and moaning outside my door. It was 7 a.m. Peering through the peephole I saw a young woman in a black dress. I was about to offer some assistance when Debbie, my Chiweenie, started to bark and the woman screamed, “Shut the fuck up!” I backed away from the door and waited a few moments. The crying stopped. “Thanks, Deb,” I said, and got ready to take her to the police station.
Police Station in French Quarter
That’s how I started my Christmas Day. Quality family time in New Orleans, right? The police station has the only patch of green grass in the Quarter where a dog can use the outdoor facilities at their leisure. The grass along the Mississippi is kind of far, especially with polar vortex winds coming off the river. So there we were sniffing every blade of grass and making sure the moon, stars, and sun were aligned just right. Because, as you know, one cannot just empty one’s bowels. One must have the entire cosmos in synch. Five minutes later we were ready to exit the police station grounds.
Fanfare
No sooner had we stepped foot on the sidewalk when a little boy came running up, pointed at Debbie, and yelled, “A Chiweenie!” His family came bubbling up behind him smiling. “We have a Chiweenie, too! Well, not yet, but she’s coming,” the boy said. “What’s her name?” I asked. “Rose”. “Oh, I love that name. That’s a great name.” Deborah Anne studied the boy. The boy gushed some more. Finally, our fans had their fill of us and we turned back to the hotel.
Rats are People Too
I hurried back with Debbie because it felt like the wind was trying to bite my face off with its teeth. However, I noticed we weren’t the only animals battling the cold on these mean, filthy streets. I saw a rat stubbornly trudging along about 6 feet ahead of us. He had a bald spot on his back. His hair was brown and twisted. He looked awful. He turned into a caged alley. I couldn’t follow, nor did I want to. I felt sorry for him though. Debbie looked at me. Maybe she read my thoughts.
Later that day we ate at the hotel’s buffet. Santa was there.
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