What is the world coming to?

What is the world coming to?

    I was on Bourbon Street this weekend. A guy I know is getting married, so, he opted to do his bacheloer party on Bourbon Street. Since the majority of our "entourage" is from New Orleans, or near by, it really is no big deal. Yeah, I know, there is only one Bourbon Street. But, that's not the point. I have been walking the French Quarter for most of my natural born life. My first memory of Bourbon is walking down it when I was about 5 years old. Of course I was with my parents and sister! But, my first recollection is spotting "Big Daddy's". For those of you who don't know, Big Daddy's was the first bar to open after Hurican Katrina! That's right! Generator in the alley-way and all. Big Daddy's is actually the oldest strip club on Bourbon, or so that is what I've been told. Anyway, as I gazed thru the dark, tinted, window, I can remember feeling this, I don't know...feeling! I couldn't see anything that was going on, but, it was the idea of wondering what was going on in there. It must have been mid-morning. Probably around 10 a.m. A lot of visitors or tourists hang out on Bourbon Street all day. They only shut the bars down from about 6 a.m. till 7 a.m.. That way they can hose the vomit down the drain, fill their beer coolers, and go to the bank. But, back to that feeling I was trying to describe. It was that first rush I ever had; knowing that I was doing something wrong, or, thinking I was. Although five-years old, that mechanical leg partially hanging from the roof, swinging back and forth, isn't hard to read. I mean, it's the universal language. Even if you can't say your a,b,c's. As my father was picking me up and my mother was screaming, "Ace, don't look in their!", an old man walking by, stopped, and grinned. He said, "boy, don't worry, you will get your fill of Bourbon Street soon enough!"  That man was Carlos Marcella. The notorious mafia boss who supposedly was behind the J.F.K. assasination. He owned a bar near that spot in the 1970's. I know this is fact now because my boss actually worked on the gaming board with him in the 70-80's. My father looked at him and said, "well hopefully he won't get his fill!". Mr. Marcello replied, "Aww! Don't worry! The quarter is perfectly safe these days!" Well, over the last 30-plus years, that simple fact has dwindled away. The quarter is basically surrounded by government housing or projects. In those projects, we have some of the most cold-hearted murderers in the world.
At about midnight, as I was yawning, walking out of the "Famous Door", a shot rang out! We all heard a loud groan or moan from the bouncer standing at the entrance way of the next bar. He crumpled over and fell to the ground. The street scattered, and the night air was filled with anxiest! A couple of guys in our group were cops, and they immediately drew down on this guy waving his gun in the air. Then, two, big N.O.P.D. officers yelled, "Freeze!" Within milli-seconds, the perp was dead, laying on his back. He was laying not that far from the spot I stood at nearly 32 years prior. Without hesitation, the biggest of the two police officers, turned and shouted, "LET THIS BE A LESSON TO ALL OF YOU! IF YOU COME TO THE QUARTER WANTING TO POP OFF A ROUND, KNOW THAT 12 MORE WILL COME BACK TO YOU!" The guy, who was now dead, couldn't have been more than 25 years old. I'm no stranger to violence, but, I was kind of taken back for a moment. It put's things into perspective for me. My father's words ring true. "HOPEFULLY, HE WON'T GET HIS FILL!"  Well Pop, I have had my fill.