Monday, October 22, 2012

Seen During Today's Sojourn to the Westbank

I was going to re-post an old piece about Moogie's idea for a new election system, but then I thought we might all get a kick out of a sign I saw in Marrero, Louisiana, this afternoon while picking up my new contacts.

I first saw my Optometrist on the Saturday before Katrina in 2005 -- I was the last patient she saw before evacuating to Houston with her young son.  She ordered new contacts for me, telling me that they should be available in a few weeks.  Well, we know how that turned out.

Two of her offices flooded, and the one Uptown that I used jacked the rent up so high that she couldn't really afford it.  She ran her practice from the second floor of her home (also flooded) for several months. 

The month following Katrina, she started calling to check on her patients.  She reached me by cell phone and we had a nice chat.  (You might recall that Pepper and I remained evacuated for nine months after The Storm, awaiting Entergy's decision whether to return to its New Orleans headquarters.)  During that conversation she offered to mail my new contacts to me at her own expense!  Wow.  So, after we returned, and she established her new office in Marrero to be close to her son's school, I decided that she had more than earned my loyalty; I kept her as my Optometrist even though she was on the other side of the river in a part of the Westbank that is -- um-- less than "desirable."

So, that's why I was in Marrero this afternoon.

On one side of her office is a Buffalo Wild Wings.  On the other side is "The Epic Lounge." This is the sign hanging above the door to the Epic Lounge:


Did I mention that my Optometrist has a very good sense of humor?

And a concealed carry permit.

As do I.  ;-)

But, I doubt I'll be patronizing The Epic Lounge anytime soon.  Especially after dark, discretion being the better part of valor and all.  Even if one is carrying.

Ah -- life in interesting times!

4 comments:

  1. When you say: "a part of the Westbank that is -- um-- less than 'desirable.'", you imply that there is a part of the Westbank that actually is desirable. Has something changed since I left?

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  2. Someday I'm gonna visit NO and bring my concealed carry permit.

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  3. Loyalty is good and you have a great optometrist... I'd be loyal to her, too. That sign is rather ominous.

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  4. Murph -- ;)

    Please do, Lou!!

    She's a peach, Buck. The sign may be ominous, but at least the Epic ios making an effort to curb the thugs. At least publicly.

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