Copyright © 2011 Bob R Bogle
[The rewrite of this chapter has been stymied by delays, but is now back in progress.]
The sky was paling rapidly and low beams of very clear sunlight the color of an amber-white wine shone through between the houses. Crossing Pleasant and Toledano and strolling slowly along, they turned back south once again on Louisiana Avenue, its grassy divider running away for uncounted blocks. Many of the lush green yards around them were veritable gardens bright with enormous flowers thrusting forward over the oak root-rippled sidewalks. Purple, green and gold Mardi Gras beads dangled motionless in forgotten silence from banisters and tree limbs. No one else was outside except for occasional cars crossing a few blocks behind them. They were across the street from the church on the east side when the sun finally set, the dusky sky's soft, velvety peach-gray hues beyond the steeple and tower seeming to deepen even as they watched. It was no longer so very hot. A block down on the further side of the street a flight of steps like those in an old-fashioned luxury liner shuffled down from an old parochial school. Several minutes later they crossed Camp Street, and then they were back on Magazine. The colorful lights were beginning to light up down the street to their left. The sidewalks were busier with people looking for dinner. They came to the seafood store and crossed the street, continuing past a few other restaurants before coming to the café they'd selected. Underneath a long, second-storey balcony several sidewalk tables were available. They waited while Carroll stepped inside, and soon he returned with a hostess to assist them. They settled around two very small round iron tables that they pulled close side by side, Carroll and Jessie at one, and Max, Nora and Charlie at the other.
