Retrospective

Today is a milestone for me and it's impossible for me not to be a little introspective. Today is the 5th anniversary of my move to New Orleans. I can't believe it's been that long and yet it seems like I've been here forever. My life in Indianapolis was good but I needed a change and so, like a carpetbagger I headed south. I still remember the morning I left, a snowy cold 6 A.M. with my best friend Richard at the wheel of my moving truck. It was just coming light and I think I cried half the way to Louisville. 17 hours later (after an extremely long delay in Nashville with a flat tire on the car hauler) we pulled up in front of my house on Pauger Street.

My truck was filled with hand me downs, a futon my friend Michael gave me, a bed from my friend Glenna, a cheap computer picked up at a sale at Richards work. My family had loaded me up with kitchen items that Christmas, dishes and glasses, pots and pans. I had never lived in an apartment by myself before. Today I woke up in my comfy new bed and sit in my nicely furnished living room typing on my (well, now three year old) computer.

When I moved to New Orleans, I didn't know anybody. Well that's not true exactly. During previous visits I had made nice with a bartender from Lafittes so I knew his name. Other than that I was on my own. Richard stayed with me for a few days which led to the first altercation I ever had at the pub (Shaky John vs. Richard, the purse: a pack of cigarettes and lighter.) I met Dallas the second day here and we ended up dating for a few months. We're still friends, in fact I just saw him yesterday. Richard left I and was alone. Really Alone....

I already had a job, fortunately very short term, at the now closed Royal Cafe. It sucked. It was the worst run restaurant I have ever seen. I had made friends with another bartender at Lafittes, Rich, and he convinced me to come work there. Then my personal crime wave began, I was robbed, my car was stolen (twice) and I became less enchanted with the city. Working at Lafittes was fun (at least it was then) but the city was wearing me down. It was my habit when I got off work to go down to the pub, and through that I met the night crew, Mark and Blake and David. I decided to go back to Indy for the summer (which turned out to be only five weeks) and wanted to get a job working at the pub for decadence. I figured after that I would get a different waiting job somewhere. That was 4 1/2 years ago and I'm still at the pub.

Most of the time I'm thankful to have such a good job, mostly. At the pub I was reunited with my long lost evil twin sister, Emily. I've had such fun there, with customers all over the country (and a certain someone from Sweden, swoon!) that come to visit and I am always surprised when they remember me. I'm more surprised when I remember them, but that's another story. From the little boy (okay, I'm going for a moment, I realize I'm not a boy) that didn't know anyone to being one of the most popular bartenders in the most popular bar is really something for me and I'll give myself a little pat on the back.

(I have to take a break here and play with my two bestial puppies.)

All in all it's been a good five years. I've met some of the best friends I have ever had, even if several of them are abandoning me lately or shortly. I've been more sick than I ever thought one person could be (with Hepatitis, Dec. 01.) I've fallen in love (more than once) and god knows I've had a couple drinks with friends. I wonder what the next five years will bring.