November 13, 2006 - Taxi Dancer

United Cab ride from 1231 Prytania St. @ Erato to home, 7809 Maple St.

My cousin Will. That’s what he said I should say if I ever have any problems with the United Cab Co. Call them up and tell them that my cousin Will said I should report any problems. He is a “Born and raised down home local” as he put it.
He and his family lost everything in Katrina. They managed to evacuate to Dallas, but when he came back he couldn’t find “not even a thimble”
He said he remembered having a shed, with all his tools and Halloween “stuffs” in it, but when he came back it was gone – “I still haven’t found it [the shed], no idea where it went”
He recommended a couple of eats. One, The Upperline, on Upperline off Prytania (towards St. Charles I believe), he insisted I should go to and meet Joann. “Tell her Will sent you”, for the best service this side of the Mason/Dixon. She wears her hair “The old way, you know, with a pencil stuck in, and she call you ‘daaaawlin’, ‘what can I git ya dawwwlin? You know, like that” He asked me what I liked to eat. I said anything. “Aw good darlin’, you’ll be easy to please, and we sho know how to entertain down he’ah”
I think he’s right.
He said the city hasn’t yet recovered, “Like a boxer”, he said, “whose been hit hard. He’s not knocked out, you see, just dazed. Very dazed and doesn’t know what’s going on.”
I told him I thought it was honorable and brave that he moved back.
The cab stopped at my door.
Will, in his 60s, full head of salt and pepper hair, a former Navy man (the only other time he left the city besides Katrina) turned a little over his shoulder and he said: “If people like me don’t come back, what will you have? You can get anyone to sell tickets, but they won’t have the demeanor, they won’t know how to entertain like we do. Noone wants a new New Orleans. You come down here to party, and we know how to throw a party.”
I hope there are more like Will.