Just Got This From One of My Cousins In Baton Rouge

Annie

Diamond Member
Nov 22, 2003
50,848
4,828
1,790
Thought it worth sharing, after 2 weeks of rotten pols:

An open letter from Louisiana

From Louisiana



Dear America,

I suppose we should introduce ourselves: We're South Louisiana.

We have arrived on your doorstep on short notice and we apologize for

that, but we never were much for waiting around for invitations. We're not

much on formalities like that.

And we might be staying around your town for a while, enrolling in

your schools and looking for jobs, so we wanted to tell you a few things

about us. We know you didn't ask for this and neither did we, so we're just

going to have to make the best of it.

First of all, we thank you. For your money, your water, your food,

your prayers, your boats and buses and the men and women of your National

Guards, fire departments, hospitals and everyone else who has come to our rescue.

We're a fiercely proud and independent people, and we don't cotton

much to outside interference, but we're not ashamed to accept help when we need it.

And right now, we need it. Just don't get carried away. For instance, once we get around to

fishing again, don't try to tell us what kind of lures work best in your

waters. We're not going to listen. We're stubborn that way.

You probably already know that we talk funny and listen to strange

music and eat things you'd probably hire an exterminator to get out of your yard.

We dance even if there's no radio. We drink at funerals. We talk too much

and laugh too loud and live too large and, frankly, we're suspicious of

others who don't.

But we'll try not to judge you while we're in your town.

Everybody loves their home, we know that. But we love South Louisiana with

a ferocity that borders on the pathological. Sometimes we bury our dead

in LSU sweatshirts.

Often we don't make sense. You may wonder why, for instance - if we could

only carry one small bag of belongings with us on our journey to your

state - why in God's name did we bring a pair of shrimp boots?

We can't really explain that. It is what it is.

You've probably heard that many of us stayed behind. As bad as it is,many

of us cannot fathom a life outside of our border, out in that place we call Elsewhere.

The only way you could understand that is if you have been there, and so

many of you have. So you realize that when you strip away all the craziness

and bars and parades and music and architecture and all that hooey, really,

the best thing about where we come from is us.

We are what made this place a national treasure. We're good people.

And don't be afraid to ask us how to pronounce our names. It happens all the

time.

When you meet us now and you look into our eyes, you will see the saddest

story ever told. Our hearts are broken into a thousand pieces.But don't pity us.

We're gonna make it. We're resilient. After all, we've

been rooting for the Saints for 35 years. That's got to count for

something. OK, maybe something else you should know is that we make jokes at

inappropriate times. But what the hell.

And one more thing: In our part of the country, we're used to having

visitors. It's our way of life. So when all this is over and we move back home,

we will repay to you the hospitality and generosity of spirit you offer to us in

this season of our despair.

That is our promise. That is our faith. Please pass this around our country

and the world!

Author Unknown
 

Forum List

Back
Top