What a week! It was Mardi Gras in New Orleans, and my time off from school quickly turned from tragedy to triumph. It started with devastating canceled plans to jump in a pile of snow visiting my cousin Emily in Washington and ended up being redeemed by my friend Ryan’s visit (insert starry eyes emoji here). I cannot describe how happy I am right now because while I was highly disappointed about my trip, I got to spend a few days with my special gentleman friend. Of course, I wanted to write an entire blog post about this incredible gentleman but realized I needed to write something of substance before turning it into a teenager’s diary. I wondered what to write when the material presented itself, but more on that later.

My friend Ryan and I met on a dating site, which means we are from different separate states, and he travels for work. He was able to take some time off and travel here, which made for an incredibly excited and thankful me. Not being from here also means he had no context of what Mardi Gras was nor any idea of what the madness entails. I did not think anything of this until we went shopping and saw a lady in her Mardi Gras polo and socks, to which Ryan said, “Nice outfit?”. I realized Mardi Gras colors were probably odd to an outsider, and the confusion does not even scratch the surface about King Cakes having plastic babies in them. So, Monday (Lundi Gras) night, I drove down St. Charles, where we pulled over on the side of the road to take beads off of a tree. I thought this could be the end of Mardi Gras until he mentioned that since neither of us had been to a parade (because I avoid them like the plague… or Covid), we could go to one together. Cue: massive anxiety

I then decided that if we were going to a Mardi Gras parade, we would not go to a small one but instead go into the city for a complete experience. So, on Mardi Gras morning, we parked a few blocks from Commander’s Palace and walked to St. Charles Avenue. We headed toward Jackson Avenue to find Zulu passing, where I would like to point out, Ryan went from “I don’t get it” to “MY BEADS” super fast! We pushed our way to the front-ish, where we had our best chance of catching the garbage from the floats, which truly brings out the competitive nature of oneself. To add to this experience, we watched a float make too short of a turn, taking out a traffic light.

We walked down St. Charles to catch a bit of Rex and find food and a bathroom. As Benny Grunch sang, “there ain’t no place to pee on Mardi Gras day.” We stopped at Gracious Bakery, where Ryan tried a muffuletta for the first time!

“What is the most New Orleans thing you have ever done?”
“Listen to The Second Line at a Mardi Gras parade while eating a muffuletta.”

The next day went spent the day driving around the city and stopping at thrift stores and the park. When we first met in person in December, we got thrift store outfits and spent the day walking around the city. This time around was just as hilarious and the opposite of disappointing. Somehow, there were matching shirts on the rack, and that basically made the decision easy bringing joy for a total of $5. We also found a third which means someone really loved this shirt and needed all of them.

We spent the next day at City Park and various other places in our amazing outfits, where a random lady literally took our picture and texted it to me. We did this for fun, but I can see where two people dressed alike in Hawaiian shirts killing ‘Build me up Buttercup’ on ukuleles may draw some attention and stares.

However, my favorite part of this visit was the day after Mardi Gras. We went to Audubon Park, where, after walking forever the day before as well, my body finally needed to sit. We walked past the meditation garden and decided to sit on the swings next to two people talking. Little did we know we would be walking into what I can only describe as a man filled with demons. This person seemed to have every one known to the bible, including being a psychic. He had short curly hair, was wearing eyeliner, black nail polish with rings, and bangles on his arms. We sat there stunned and quiet while listening to the passing conversation, and I was dying on the inside, knowing we had to be there for a reason.

Were we supposed to say something?
Were we supposed to be listening?
Were we supposed to share the gospel?

We were texting back and forth, and I mentioned feeling like I was dying, waiting to explode with word vomit. Ryan said he did not feel compelled to speak, but maybe we were just meant to listen and expose what was being said. We left to find that the encounter was for ourselves and ended up discussing what we heard and what the bible says about it. I could not let it go, wondering if I had missed an opportunity while also knowing “do not cast your pearls before swine”. Ryan mentioned it was for him to show how far God has brought him and also show it was for me that I do not always have to say something. I mentioned that had it been a few years earlier, I would have gotten into an argument and bashed the bible over his head which would have gotten nowhere.

I could not move past this situation when today, Friday rolled around, and both Ryan and I had to go back to our jobs. I decided the weather was perfect and that I would go walking after school. I had no expectations, but when I got there jumped on the swing, and then decided to walk the track. I was on the phone with Ryan when I approached the meditation garden and, while walking toward the bench swing, saw the psychic guy from days before! What were the chances?!

Knowing how I am, Ryan said, “It’s your time to shine”.

Psychic was talking to another man when I showed up. When the other man left, I sat on the swing, leaving just the psychic and me. I told Ryan I would call him back in a few minutes, leaving the opportunity for the guy to talk to me. He said hello and something like ‘nice to meet you’, and I responded that I had seen him days before when I sat down with my friend. He remembered me and then asked what my Zodiac sign was. This was my opportunity. I responded that I do not know nor pay attention to that as a Christian. He mentioned that some Christians follow it and some do not.

Remembering the conversation days before, I gathered this man knew a rejection from every way, so there was nothing I could say he had never heard or experienced. I figured he had been argued with and cast out from his family, so it was not my place to confront or argue. All I did was listen to him talk and then ask several questions, and the first thing he said that made the most sense was that his mother was a Christian and his dad was a Muslim. As soon as he said that, I responded that it has to be the most confusing thing to be raised in. He said how much inner turmoil he had growing up, constantly wondering, “Is my mom going to hell or is my dad going to hell?”

He brought up religions and reading the bible and other religious materials, so I responded with bible verses in the proper context now and then, adding Jesus was the only way to Heaven. I did not say much but mostly listened to him talk. I asked what could be true if there were many truths. What is the standard for good and true if there is more than one truth?

He mentioned rape being bad, and I asked how he could say that if there is no truth? He said even animals are loving and caring to which I said, “Animals mate with whatever they see in front of them, and they kill each other. I’ve seen National Geographic.”

He had to think about this because he knew this point was valid. Not everything was naturally good.

We talked about false preachers and churches and various other topics. We ended up talking for an hour when my phone kept dinging, and I finally said it was time for me to go before my family thought I was dead.

Before we left, he responded that I was the most respectful Christian he’d ever talked with because I listened to him talk regardless if I disagreed with him. He did not feel judged, and that helped him. He said most Christians suddenly take a phone call or get up and run away at the mention of him being a psychic.

I said it was not my job to judge him, and I enjoyed the conversation, and that even if I disagree, people deserve to be treated as human being.

I walked away and called Ryan, who was ecstatic about the encounter, knowing how much I’d wanted to say something days before. We were both excited that it was used for all of us and how amazing it was that God had us there to observe, talk about it, and prepare for today! I had no idea I would ever see this person again, but I would enjoy talking to him again, and God willing, one day, he turns to Christ. This clearly had nothing to do with me, but God.

All in all, this week was fantastic even though it started out extremely disappointing.

“And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God and are the called according to His purpose.” – Romans 8:28

(Psst… I’m a fan of this guy, but that news doesn’t leave this blog 😉 .)
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