My strange encounter in the French Quarter, NOLA

[chrisinhouston]

Back in NOLA with my wife who is working at the Chevron refinery in Belle Chase south of the river. Staying in the Garden District which I love but I've made a few day treks to the FQ for photography.

So yesterday I went there after dropping my wife off quite early and ended up sitting at the south side of Jackson Square up on the raised area that looks north to the cathedral and I was waiting for better light to happen and then I notice a guy walks up with an fairly new Ovation electric guitar slung around his neck and he is taking a few pictures. Ok.... it's 7am and here is a guy with his guitar... maybe he just got off work?? And it's the electric version of the famous round backed Ovation guitar, not the typical acoustic model. He is a tall white guy with grey hair, maybe in his mid 50's like me and dressed in nice jeans and a t shirt, so I don't think he was a homeless guy and not with the nice guitar.

Then he asks me if I can take his picture for his girlfriend in Mexico City. So I oblige and suggest he get the cathedral behind him as it is such a landmark and he agrees and then launches into a 30 minute story which includes his life history and how he met this lady on EHarmony.com and is in a serious relationship with her and he is so glad he had just broken up with that bitch in Lake Charles who was penniless. He goes on to tell me her life story and I sit and smile and nod and keep wondering where this is all going and if he is going to hit me up for a few bucks.

After he tells me about the night he slept with his lady to be in Mexico City for the first time and what a good kisser he is and how she is a famous neurosurgeon of Russian decent I finally say, "well look at the time and I really have to get going!" And we shake hands and part.

So I head down behind the cathedral and decide that the light still isn't right and that I will head to my car and back to the hotel for some free coffee and I get within 300 ft of my car and who should I see walking along but Mr. Guitar Man! And he stops 30 ft from my car to make a cell phone call. So I hide behind a car across the street so he won't see me and think I am following him or something and he stands there for 10 minutes talking and now I have to pee pee really bad and everyone knows that the only place to use a nice free restroom in the FQ is at the John Lafitte NP but they aren't open yet. Then the guy starts wandering my way so I duck down a side street. This is getting like a weird Woody Allen or Luis Buñuel movie but I finally get to my car and take off.

Just another day in the French Quarter! Wish I had taken a picture of him!