Friday, December 10, 2010

A TRIP TO CAFE DU MONDE ...


No trip to New Orleans is complete without a visit to Cafe du Monde, the original French Market cafe famous since 1862 for its coffee and beignets. Not that the coffee or beignets are that great, but it's just one of those places you go when you're in New Orleans. Cafe du Monde somehow lost its luster for me when I discovered that they also had a branch in Kyoto, but still, it's a New Orleans tradition. I woke up extra early this morning and walked there before my meetings began ... and, as always, they made me feel right at home. Indeed, it might as well have been 7th and Montana. Standing right there on the sidewalk, not far from the Cafe, was an Interesting Gentleman wearing a bright orange bucket on his head and singing Christmas Carols. His voice carried for blocks, no doubt amplified by the bucket, which he kept completely over his head. He used his fists to beat on the bucket as if it were a Bongo Drum. Somehow, he sensed my approach. He removed the bucket. "You've got real talent, kid," I said, trying to sound like a Hollywood talent agent. "What?!?," he cried. I tried again. "You ought to be in pictures!," I yelled. "What?!?," he cried. Finally, I gave up and just gave him a dollar bill. No doubt the fact that he uses his head as a percussion instrument has taken a toll on his hearing. I just hope he doesn't kick the bucket ...!

4 comments:

Ken Riches said...

But did you have a coffee and a beignet?

Marty said...

Hi Ken,
I had coffee ... but grabbed an oatmeal from somewhere else.
Best,
Marty

Anonymous said...

I found that an awful lot of those "have to go to" places aren't very good....hmmm. So I stopped feeling I have to go to them.

emikk said...

maybe the bucket head had a "debris" sandwich at Mothers restaurant and is recovering in his own way.