Happy Mardi Gras!

I almost forgot that today is Fat Tuesday. I could be addressing other important events right now, like today is also Super Tuesday, and the fate of the next four years could be decided by how the votes add up now. Emphasis on could. Eh, I'd rather talk about Mardi Gras.

I celebrated Mardi Gras once in New Orleans. It was the senior year of high school, and a friend announced in our AP English Lit class that he had an open space on a New Orleans trip for ten dollars. I was instantly interested, since I'd wanted to go to New Orleans for quite some time. I was naturally bad at taking initiative, so I didn't speak up. Naturally, I expected that the trip would be seized upon immediately by any of the partiers. It wasn't. Turns out the trip coincided with our senior prom. By the way, the prom was a Mardi Gras theme. Screw that, I'd rather go to Mardi Gras, which was actually far cheaper than the prom. I just had to be able to walk seven miles in a parade. Okay. No prob. It was awesome.

Mardi Gras was a time of firsts for me.

-First time I'd ever illegally ordered an alcoholic drink in a restaurant. (margarita at Bubba Gump's)
-First time I can recall ever giving money to a street performer (saxophone player in front of Cafe du Monde)
-First time I'd ever had beignets and cafe au lait, a truly life-changing experience (Cafe du Monde)
-First (only) time I'd ever walked in a parade (the reason we were going, to be water people/ banner holders for the dance/drum troupe from San Antonio.)
-First time I'd ever gotten affection from a drunk person (a college student grabbed me in said parade, said "I just can't take it anymore," hugged me, and kissed me on the cheek. It was actually rather sweet.)
-First time I'd ever been afraid in a crowd (Friday night--Mardi Gras is really scary)
-First time I'd ever ridden public transportation without "adults" (street car to Loyola University)
-First (AND LAST) time I'd ever been scammed out of money--that I know of, of course (Random, frightening person on the street talking about needing a toll to pass. I just gave him the money, before it turned into a mugging.)
-First time I'd ever had to lie about being in a relationship to spurn a guy's advances (A 30-yr old drummer with the troupe said I had a "tight body" and wanted to "get with me." I pretended to be "with" my friend.)
-First time I'd ever taken a trip without any real adult supervision (I didn't count the dancers and drummers as adults. They acted more immaturely than we did.)
-First (and so far, only) time I'd ever been to New Orleans (Let's fix this.)

Every year, when Mardi Gras rolls around, I think about that trip. I had a great time, and it's exactly what my senior year needed. I wouldn't have rather gone to the prom for anything. New Orleans was exciting and a little scary, but I felt connected to the city. Maybe it was the energy of the people, or the Santeria, or the soul food, or the fact that we were so close to Cajun country, because New Orleans remains at the top of my short list of cities to revisit. Until then, I'll have to make do with Heaven on Seven.

And, no, I didn't flash anyone for beads.