New Orleans always was a tough town. It used to be my town. Hadn’t been there for a long time before I had to spend a week there last year. It’s a violent, dysfunctional Gothic craphole now.
In New Orleans last March some degenerate followed my 79-year-old father onto the streetcar after seeing him leave the bank. He tackled my dad from behind in broad daylight on the neutral ground of St. Charles Avenue when he got out. Thumped his head on the ground hard. He was after Dad’s wallet. Dad spun so as to land on his back and double-kicked the thug from shins to gonads to ribcage until the guy gave up and ran away. Dad kept his wallet, but started falling down and losing his grip on things after that. The least you could say is that the head shot didn’t do him any favors. He ended up being transported by ambulance to the emergency room a couple of months later. He’s in a nursing home now...forever.
I talked to the District Attorney about it when I was down there. They found the guy who did it. The charge? Attempted Simple Robbery. “Charming” isn’t the adjective that comes to mind when I think of New Orleans.
“New Orleans always was a tough town. It used to be my town.”
Yep, lived there in the 70’s on the West Bank off Gen. Degaule Dr. Used to be a nice area. Went back and drove down in that area after Katrina and quickly turned around and left. I still have a soft spot in my heart for Nawlins though. Just stay away from Bourbon St.
I took my daughters to New Orleans in 2013 for a business trip. We walked from our hotel (Holiday Inn) to the Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter (famous Donut shop). It got dark as we walked home. Having been to Major cities all over the world (except Africa), I sometimes felt unsafe in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. However I have never felt as vulnerable and unsafe as I did walking to our hotel from the French Quarter. I think I can imagine what a major African hell hole city feels like at night...