Right Place, Wrong Time

If you're as into music as I am, you'll recognize the title of this post. "Right Place, Wrong Time" is a truly classic three minutes of rock 'n' roll by Dr. John (aka Mac Rebbenack), who's really known less for his rock stuff than for his blues and "boogie woogie" stuff. Dr. John hails from the great city of New Orleans. Music is only one of the things New Orleans is famous for, but you may be familiar with the term "Cajun" music. "Cajun"...

I've mentioned on several occasions that I'm from Halifax, Nova Scotia. There used to be a bunch of people of French descent living in Nova Scotia. They were known as Acadians (not to be confused with the Akkadians of the ancient Middle East). Anyway, a couple (or a few, I'm doing this by memory!) hundred years ago, the British kicked the Acadians out of Nova Scotia. Although pockets of the original Acadians still remain in Nova Scotia, the loss was irreparable (the loss in hockey talent alone was staggering!). The point is, "Acadian"... "Cajun"... Get it? Yeah, all those Acadians went down to New Orleans, where they started their own culture and all kinds of cool shit in the context of "America". Too bad for Canada, really. Another British fuck-up in the New World.

My father's father was a descendant of the original Acadians. He died young, so I never had the privelege of meeting him. "Nova Scotia" means "New Scotland". I've never been to Scotland, but I can tell you in all honesty that when I hear bagpipes my chest puffs up involuntarily. By the same token, when I hear "cajun" or other New Orleans music, I'm similarly affected. I've never been to New Orleans.

By a strange coincidence, the last time I went home to Nova Scotia was early September, 2005. There was a huge (I mean, fucking huge!) typhoon that passed through Miyazaki on the day I was to go home. I was delayed one day by this typhoon. It was only a few days earlier, of course, that Katrina had hit New Orleans. The people of New Orleans, unfortunately, have been delayed a couple of years (or worse).

So, you may be wondering, is there a point to this post? Yeah, there's a fucking point. One of the great cities of the world is dying. Yes, in 2007, a great American city is dying. New Orleans is dying. Maybe you were aware of this, maybe you weren't. If you think I'm bullshitting, then read my friend Glenn's blog for a few days. Read what is coming out of New Orleans.

You won't like what you see...