Halloween in New Orleans with Election Sidebar

Well, I couldn't figure out what to do for Halloween in terms of a costume. Just hadn't given it much thought this year. So I went as St. Gouttiere, patron saint of the gutter punks. I figured since I was a little goth gutter punk in my misspent youth, I was currently of the age to be their patron saint, and lord knows they need one. The kids on Decatur Street loved me.

I looked in the mirror and thought I couldn't have looked MORE like a drag queen if I'd tried, but overall the look worked.

Husband went as Che Guevara and ran into Fidel in the new cigar shop down on Decatur. Some folks took their pictures together, both with stogies hanging out of their mouths.

We made the rounds to our favorite places, running into people we knew everywhere. Had a great time, checked out the Molly's parade start, continued on to Pirate's Alley and loved the costumes we saw. San Francisco does a good Halloween, at least they did when I lived there, but New Orleans has to be the best. The spirit of Halloween just takes over the entire city, and this is a city that likes masks. We seem willing to dress up in costume at the slightest provocation. Dressing up and parading. The mayor knicked his head today while shaving it::::::::::PARADE::::::::::DRESS UP:::::::::::So Halloween is always a blast. You could tell some people had spent a lot of time and effort on their costumes, unlike me who slapped something together that morning putting a beauty queen banner across my chest explaining who I was. I was a bit surprised how successful it turned out to be.

Meanwhile, Blaine Kern's Krewe of Boo parade was slated to start at 7PM. Never having been in or to a parade that actually started on time, we got down to Decatur and Esplanade about 7:30. We'd already missed it, but heard that our neighbor who had gone as Joe the Plumber, complete with plumber's crack had had a "wardrobe malfunction" and apparently the plumbing in front was hanging out til a friend told him to yank his pants up. We had asked him earlier how he thought he was gonna navigate those pants down so low, he felt he had it under control. Apparently not.

All of the above aside, the streets were electric. Groups gathered on corners, all in costume and makeup, discussing the election. It was fascinating. They were voicing fear and hope simultaneously. The conversations centered around the who, the possibility of another election being stolen, the fact that we could feel history being made in this election. It was remarkable. Total strangers discussing this stuff without rancor or anger, maybe a little sarcasm here and there, but so very hopeful. It was hope tinged with that fear I mentioned though. It was clear that everyone has invested themselves in this election, to a degree I haven't seen in decades. And these discussions were everywhere, street corners, stoops with ghouls gathered around, bars. Amazing.

Let's hope we can continue that kind of discussion after the votes are tallied.

I doubt it though. A family member told me today that they didn't want to hear my opinion. I'm afraid that regardless of the outcome, we're going to go back to our corners and stay silent.

Halloween NOLA New Orleans election