{"id":59,"date":"2008-07-20T12:31:17","date_gmt":"2008-07-20T19:31:17","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/?p=59"},"modified":"2008-10-20T11:01:11","modified_gmt":"2008-10-20T18:01:11","slug":"advice-from-the-experts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/2008\/07\/20\/advice-from-the-experts\/","title":{"rendered":"Advice from the experts"},"content":{"rendered":"

I knew they were tourists before we climbed inside.\u00c2\u00a0 Even with Will boldly clutching the $2.50 for the driver, I was still weighed down with a large tote bag, stroller, and Kate, all in my arms.\u00c2\u00a0 If they were from here, I wouldn’t have so much as put one foot onto the unfolded step before someone soundlessly took an object from me to help us on board.\u00c2\u00a0 It’s just the way things happen here.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Eventually the kids and I stumbled into the Streetcar and rambled down the isle to an open seat.\u00c2\u00a0 Two open seats, actually, as the kids took turns hopping between empty benches on each side of the isle, changing with each stop.\u00c2\u00a0 It is July in New Orleans and it is hot: both kids wanted the breeze from the open windows and to be out of the sun.\u00c2\u00a0 Their seat experimentation was just them working to find the coolest space available.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

“This area doesn’t look like it got hurt by the storm,” the lady in front of me says.\u00c2\u00a0 “Oh, right,” her companion incorrectly chimes in, “but the Garden District got it real bad.”\u00c2\u00a0 Definitely tourists.\u00c2\u00a0 I am about to ask them where they are from, to chat them up and welcome them here, to be that friendly spot of hospitality one expects here for good reason.\u00c2\u00a0 But then the stroller I’ve laid beside our seat comes to smack me in the shin; the companion sitting in front of me is pushing it back, away from where one end has rolled into her personal space.\u00c2\u00a0 I decide to say nothing, listening instead to the women periodically comment on the “interesting” and “unusual” and occasionally “beautiful” architecture that unfolds before us as we roll along the tracks.<\/p>\n

Finally, we turn the corner to Carrollton Avenue, where the Streetcar driver announces: “End of St. Charles, Carrollton Avenue, Camilla Grill!”\u00c2\u00a0 Everyone around us gets ready to depart.<\/p>\n

One of the women asks, “Isn’t this it?\u00c2\u00a0 Camilla Grill?\u00c2\u00a0 Is this where we go?”\u00c2\u00a0 She is looking around as if her expectations weren’t quite being met.<\/p>\n

“I’m not sure.\u00c2\u00a0 I guess so.\u00c2\u00a0 Everyone else is,” her friend answers.<\/p>\n

Then Will, who has been silently looking out the window snaps to attention.\u00c2\u00a0 “Get a Cheeseburger.\u00c2\u00a0 They’re the best here.”\u00c2\u00a0 He says it right to the women, who take a moment to realize from where this sage advice has come.<\/p>\n

“Really?” the first woman responds, “cheeseburgers?”<\/p>\n

“And a chocolate milkshake,” Will remembers.<\/p>\n

“Cheeseburger,” Kate adds.<\/p>\n

For a split second I find myself wistfully wanting a third child, one who would pipe up and offer that last bit of important advice, “and get it dressed.”<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I knew they were tourists before we climbed inside.\u00c2\u00a0 Even with Will boldly clutching the $2.50 for the driver, I was still weighed down with a large tote bag, stroller, and Kate, all in my arms.\u00c2\u00a0 If they were from here, I wouldn’t have so much as put one foot onto the unfolded step before […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[100,109],"tags":[108,107],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2639,"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59\/revisions\/2639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.coldspaghetti.org\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}