Mardi Gras romances are fleeting. The guy is usually from out of town, here for a little fun and then on his way once more. Sometimes they come back every Mardi Gras. Other times, they just ride off into the sunset never to be heard from again.
Ever since I'd met "Tim" at the stables in 2013, I'd tried to find him along the parade routes or at the staging area of Endymion. On foot and tardy in 2013, I missed him actually parading. With a friend in from St. Louis in 2014; we discovered a move of the staging area and huge crowds when they passed. I missed Tim again..
I'd made up my mind that if at all possible, I would try to find him this year. I had to be a little brazen and a little bold, but above all persistent and patient.
I arrived around 2 and first had to figure out if this was in fact the staging area...YES! I got a few shots of the gang in their huge, red, 18-wheelers, and waited.
I grabbed one of the guys in a red shirt and asked him if any of these horses were "Tim"? He just shook his head, shrugged and walked off. It wasn't until they were all lined up that I thought I'd try again.
I asked this young man at the front of the line who said: "I don't know, but if you go ask the blonde girl with braids at the lead point...she can tell you." I did, and she sweetly pointed Tim out as the third horse from the front in the line and said: "Tim is a really great horse."
You can't touch them while they're in line, but that didn't stop photos, gazing into his eyes (after all it was Valentine's Day), and just enjoying the fact that I'd found him and could see him again after all these years. I didn't have my pink overalls on this year...it was that blue-striped engineer number with my red shirt and Tulane cap-but I began to feel like Tim knew it was me. We were communicating! Look at the great shots!
From chatting with people in the crowd, I learned that: this team is from St.Louis; this is the team that performed in this year's Superbowl Commercial; and, that New Orleans now has 2 Clydesdales of our very own that are kept out at the NOPD Stables.
I'd hoped to stay to see them on their way, but they were more patient than I was. I left Tim at the corner of Orleans and Navarre, hoping that we might find each other again.
Maybe he'll "Meet Me in St. Louis"!
I'd know those feet and those eyes anywhere!
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