The Prophetess and Mardi Gras

In one of her unguarded moments, Madeline the Prophetess confessed to Crazy Chester, her handicapper, that being a prophetess was hard work and often discouraging, with the lack of appreciation on the part of the clergy.  Chester, in his role as a freelance counselor to the New Orleans street eccentrics, inquired of her further: just when did these feeling start, and what might be related to it?  (Chester took a internet course in Creative Counseling from one of those fine on-line diploma mills.) 

Madeline finally admitted that she felt out of place with the Mardi Gras season going on.  People did not need much services of a traiteur; and their need for prophecy services could wait until Lent.  In a word, Madeline was bored!

Chester said, "Dawlin', you need a break.  Nobody in New Orleans pays religion much attention now; get with the party, have a Hurricane or two, and earn some beads by flashing your pretties!  Maybe you can surprise Officer O'Shaughnessy while he's patrolling on Bourbon Street."

Madeline was not sure about this advice, so she asked a hypothetical question to her spiritual advisor de jour, a Jesuit selected because they're rumored to be easier than some of the other religious orders locally.  Father Devereaux, the priest in question, qualified his answer by saying that flashing her breasts was, indeed, a sin; but since the sinner was modestly endowed, it was only a venial sin at best!*

This  strangely gave Madeline courage, and she planned a mild version: she would wear a costume featuring an elaborate headdress and brunette wig,  a gayly-fringed bottom, and a jeweled metal bra as a costume.  After all, it was Mardi Gras, so laissez les bon temps rouler! 

Of course, she had a Hurricane, which is de rigeur for Mardi Gras!  If you do one, and make it last for several hours, you will not be doing a headache penance for it on Ash Wednesday!

I will say that Officer Pete O'Shaughnessy was agreeably surprised at seeing Madeline on Bourbon Street, especially with her festive costume and her collection of Mardi Gras beads.  She gave Pete some; he looked positively festive in his police uniform with the beads!**  The Sergeant at the First District station did not fuss; it was enough that a cop finished the long Mardi Gras shift without bailing out and taking up policing in some non-stress locale like Baltimore.

The next day she also gave Father Devereaux some.  He smiled.  He had the spirit of Mardi Gras too.


*This may not be the official party line  of the Vatican, I guess.  Father D., a native of New Orleans, knew enough of the place to go easy on his penances.  Orleanians can stand for only so much in the way of religious austerity.  And it's true: Catholic New Orleanians priest-shop to find more tolerant ones.

**A common uniform variance in the Eighth Police District (the French Quarter).

Laissez les bon temps rouler!