I’ve been in New Orleans for two weeks. It’s really hot down here, not so much because of the actual temperature. Humidity is what makes New Orleans feel so hot. You have to walk on the shady side of the street and drink plenty of water. Even then you can feel the heat like a sauna. The air is thick, really thick, and sticky. Hot weather makes me slow. If I’m outside during the day, I only move at half pace and sweat profusely, especially when I ride my bike. Where I still in Kentucky the stuffiness would make me miserable but in New Orleans heat is just the way things are. You get used to it. Heat becomes normal very quickly.
The heat also fosters a lack of concern about certain things. It’s not really nonchalance and it’s not necessarily neglect. Just, certain things do not matter. The heat is too hot. Maybe that’s how it is in the Bywater neighborhood specifically, but that seems the general feeling. Gutter punks are a case in point. I could probably go a full week without a shower and the only people who would even notice (or care) would be my roommates. I guess that’s how it is other places too. Grime is a part of life here. Most streets in the Bywater can be likened to a checkerboard. One house will have a nice paint job, things are in order, the shutters work. For all I know a well paid lawyer lives there. Next to the lawyer is a house that looks like it’s falling apart. All the paint is worn down, shutters are hanging off. And somebody lives there too. I’d say it’s the heat.
New Orleans nights are what they are because of the day. At night no sun beats down on you, more importantly there is much less humidity. Nights here cool you down. It’s comfortable to be out—streets like Frenchmen, places like d.b.a., hole in the wall neighborhood bars like Vaughn’s and Markey’s, where there’s always people and good music and shuffleboard. New Orleans is a nighttime place. Shuffleboard at Markey’s is really fun and they have free pool. On Wednesdays at the Spotted Cat, Va Va Voom plays. It’s a really small place and they play relaxed music.
New Orleans nights are also somewhat scary. The city has one of the highest crime rates in the U.S. You can, it seems, buffer yourself to an extent, i.e. don’t start dealing drugs. The city’s crime rate has increased and I’m not going to pretend to actually know why. I’m sure poverty and neglect have something to do with it. I did read somewhere that crime rates go up in the summertime. Perhaps it’s the heat. What’s strange about the crime rate is the fact that New Orleans is also one of the most polite places I’ve ever been, especially in the Bywater. People wave and say hello. People stop to ask you how you’re doing. People are more friendly here than in Lexington. New Orleans is a city of contradictions. It’s a weird sort of place. I live in Lee Harvey Oswald’s old house for instance.
Place in New Orleans is a loaded term. Everything and everyplace in New Orleans has some prior meaning. To someone who’s been here for two weeks, New Orleans is a lot to take in, understanding the city grid while riding your bike is hard enough. New Orleans is a place unto itself. I’m pretty sure the city itself has done more to influence my opinion of it than any prior experience could have. You don’t really have all that much to go by when you’re coming to New Orleans.
1 comment:
Ian,
You've hit on a very interesting idea--how climate influences culture--and identified ways this is evident: the pace of life, a general non-chalance. I also enjoy that you've identified the duality: a scarey city with high crime and also a very polite and welcoming culture. Perhaps you're hinting at how the location/climate/history of New Orleans contributes to social diversity and acceptance?
I like how you've begun to describe how the architecture might reflect this attitude, i.e. the grime, checkerboard, etc.
I also enjoy that you've started to discuss night vs. day in terms of activity. One thing: if you don't know why the crime has increased, perhaps this would be a good thing to research? Incorporating learned facts/research into your stories will make them more substantial.
The most interesting point, however, is the idea that everything in New Orleans has some prior meaning. How? Why? What do you mean by this? This is very rich and worth investigating further. You don't go into any detail about what you mean...but you should because I think it could be a profound observation.
Finally, I think your piece could be strengthened overall by removing all of the sentences that don't add anything to the content. For example: "Shuffleboard at Markey's is really fun and they have free pool." So what? It's good for the piece to be conversational in style, but it also needs to be a well-crafted, concise narrative that communicates ideas. In short, get rid of the fat that doesn't serve the idea.
Thank you for writing this piece.
Liz
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