You could see a change in the New Orleans natives as well. Their patterns shifted. There were places they would not go at certain times if you kept track of such things; no one of them could (or would) say why. They'd linger over coffee someplace, perhaps a half-hour or so and then quickly leave, as if some narrow window of safety had arrived and would not last. It wasn't just the French Quarter. The Garden District was tense as well. The Tulane campus reflected it and even some of the class schedules mutated into something strangely different. Truth be known, I first noticed that sort of effect while in Lafayette Park west of downtown. All of the birds grounded themselves suddenly, together, for no discernible reason. They clustered and gossiped, checking across species lines and just as abruptly, sprang skyward and disappeared for places unknown.

Hours later, they might return. Sometimes they don't return for days.

Algiers lies south of the Mississippi and the French Quarter, east of the bridges. My usual schedule these days is to have a pint of black ale at the Dry Dock Cafe as well as a large bowl of their French Onion Soup, watch the CCTV city watch channel to see if there were any interesting things starting up across the river, and decide where I'd go for the afternoon. I have a series of places now where I set up shop so to speak, and keep track of the comings and the far more numerous goings of the city. I sell CDs I buy from some of the musicians on Bourbon and Royal Street and very few people notice if I'm there or not.

I spend rather more time across the street from the Cafe of the Yellow Court, a patio restaurant generally nestled somewhere near a corner of Royal and Toulouse Street and that's where I am now, as you well know.

You have the look of someone who seeks such as me and you have a pleasant way about you. Do you wish for aid in the coming or in the going?

1 2 3