This year I had the honor of joining the krewe of Orpheus, one of the Carnival krewes that entertain the crowds with parades and toys and beads.
Thanks to the generosity of friends and neighbors I collected a couple hundred pounds of beads, supplemented with special goodies (like blinky rubber duckies and feather boas) to throw to my friends.
Our float was piled high with stacks of toys and sacks of beads and it reminded me of one of those kids' playrooms filled with rubber balls that you find at Burger King - except that these playmates also had plenty of liquor and all of the toys were there for the giving. It was a moveable feast. At one point I snuggled on my back in the toys amidst this happy group. I looked up at the bright blue sky framed by gold foil and painted flowers and as I felt the warm breeze I realized that it was spring. It was a golden moment. The city was getting the Mardi Gras that it deserved.
