New Orleans

A short love story

 

“I’ll catch you on the flip side.”

Mike.

 

I stepped from the airport and into a taxi.

“Where to?” asked my driver in a voice that was both husky and light.

“Cigarettes first and then on to the garden district.” I said lazily, looking out the window. The cabby said something else I didn’t catch but as we pulled away from the curb I realized I didn’t care as long as we were moving.

I watched the city swim past the car, distorted by the glass like and aquarium. People filled the streets, people on bikes, people in cars, people walking everywhere.

“I didn’t realize New Orleans would be this crowded, the news makes it sound likes it’s just one big war zone down here.”

“Oh no sir. Sure if you head down into the wrong part of town at night you’re likely to get hurt but then it was like that before Katrina.”

I mumbled my agreement.

“News crews would come down here from all over the country looking for a story to find that everything was in pretty good shape considering, so they’d shoot a two hundred year old building and then talk about the horrors ravaged by the storm, it’s all bullshit.”

He pulled the old cab into a Texaco and sat with the engine idling.

“You should be able to find you cigarettes in there sir, and then I’ll take you on to wherever you want to go.”

I nodded my thanks and slipped out of the cab. I returned a moment later with a pack of brand new cigarettes and a cheap disposable lighter to find the cabby filling up.

“I’ll just be a moment sir, I figured you’d want this time to enjoy your smoke since my cab is regretfully no smoking.”

I just nodded and pulled my coat closed around me to ward off the cold breeze that had suddenly arisen.

I packed my cigarettes tightly, turning the first one I pulled from the pack upside down and replacing it making my lucky, the last cigarette I’d smoke in the pack that would bring me good luck. Over the gas station speakers a rap song I didn’t know began to play and a woman’s voice began to sing about needing a wish.

I lit up my cigarette, listening to song and found myself drawn into the music despite my general dislike of rap and hip-hop.

“Excuse me.” I yelled to the cabby. “Do you know who sings this song?”

The cabby shrugged. “I’m sorry sir I don’t really keep up on music.”

I nodded and went back to my cigarette.

“It’s the B.O.B featuring Hayley Williams.”

I turned around and saw a woman standing there, trying to wriggle the first cigarette out of fresh pack. She was wearing an oversized hoodie and loose back jeans with worn out tennis shoes. For some reason when I looked at her I smiled, she was beautiful in the same way that a sunset is beautiful, a beauty that cannot be measured or judged and no matter how many times you may see it will always be beautiful.

“Thank you.” I said and she smiled.

“You need some help?” I asked gesturing to her cigarettes.

“Yes please. I can never get the first little f****r out.

“Yeah, after a while you wont have any trouble” I said sliding one out of her pack with the deft skill of a seasoned smoker.

“Well, I can’t wait, I been smoking for four… no five years now and still haven’t learned the trick. I hate to keep bugging you but do you have a light.”

I handed her my Bic.

“Thanks,” she said handing it back. “My name’s Candy.”

“Mike” I said extending my hand.

She pulled her sleave back off of her hand and shook mine vigorously.

“It’s nice to meet you.”

We both smiled and I took a long drag on my cigarette.

“You live around here?”

“Me? nah I’m from up in Jersey. You?”

“My dad’s from Jersey, I’m just down from LA.”

“Oh? Business or pleasure?”

“Just looking for a little bit of freedom.” I said vaguely.

She smiled. I looked back at the cabby and he looked back at me gesturing at his watch.

“Where you staying?” I asked.

“Down in the garden district. I just stopped here for a pack of cigarettes.”

“Small world. I’m heading down that way you need I lift?” I asked pointing back over my shoulder at the cab.

“It’s okay. I really shouldn’t. Mama always told me it’s bad luck to get into a car with a man you don’t know.”

“Do you really believe in luck?” I asked.

She looked down at the ground twirling back and forth in place shyly. When she looked up she was smiling.

“Not really.”

“Good, neither do I.”

She walked off towards the cab and I reached into my pocket, fumbling about for the pack of Lucky Strikes I had just purchased. I finally grabbed them and looked up to find Candy waiting for me, leaning against my cab.

“Hurry up” she yelled.

“Be there in one sec.”

I pulled the lucky out of my pack and flipped it around. I smiled and walked over to my cab. I had all the luck I needed.

Author's Note

I welcome comments with open arms.

Reviews

[Alicia™]

Very interesting… I feel like it captured the place perfectly (I haven't been there though, so you might want to ask someone else, haha). Well written, but there are a couple of problems with the punctuation here and there. Other than that, it was great! It's nice that you centered it around a conversation alone. It has this "I have arrived" feel to it.