New Orleans: A Dirge for the Saints

It happened that the Saints game Saturday corresponded with my taking down the Christmas decorations. New Orleanians, I have believed, are lucky in that there is no need to suffer from post-Christmas depression because here we celebrate the last day of Christmas as being the first day of the Carnival season.

Beginning in September 2009, the Saints gave us a special emotional holiday as they rollicked toward the Super Bowl. For more than a year, we saw potential champs progress to defending champs, and we cheered and Who-Datted all the way. Now it is time to turn off the lights. We won’t be going to the mountain peak this February, but at least we’ve been there before, seen the view and know what it’s like.

During the time of the Saints run, some good things happened to the city, most notably promising changes at City Hall. BP was a setback, but we’ve been in far worse predicaments. The recovery is moving along, and most people, myself included, seem to think that we are becoming a better city, embellished by the memory of that February Sunday in 2010.

Now it’s time to move on. There will be another season, but for the moment, let’s put away the black and gold for the purple, green and gold. Drew Brees can get some rest; meanwhile Chris Paul needs some loving.

Few places in the world are as adept at turning sadness into joy as we are. The jazz funeral procession begins with a mournful dirge but then breaks out into lively dance. The body is gone, we are reminded, but oh, didn’t he ramble!

It’s OK to feel a little sad, but let’s appreciate that we feel that way only because we were blessed with having been in that number.

NEW: SEE ERROL LABORDE’S MARDI GRAS VIDEO HERE.

Krewe: The Early New Orleans Carnival- Comus to Zulu by Errol Laborde is available at all area bookstores. Books can also be ordered via e-mail at gdkrewe@aol.com or (504) 895-2266).

WATCH INFORMED SOURCES, FRIDAYS AT 7 P.M., REPEATED AT 11:30 P.M. ON WYES-TV, CHANNEL 12.

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