cops in the 'hood

[susandennis]

My neighborhood for some reason about 10 years ago adopted Mardi Gras.  The fervor escalated every year until finally, in 2001, we ended up with four nights of riots.  On the forth night, a guy got beaten to death in the frenzy.  And store fronts and windows got smashed and the place just generally trashed. 

On that Fat Tuesday, as I walked to work (down the block) I was amazed at how trashed the place was.  4 hours later we had a nice sized earthquake and then you couldn't tell what was Mardi Gras trash and what was earthquake.  Bricks joined the glass in the streets.  It was rather a mess. 

For several years, they clamped down on Mardi Gras celebrations but now, for whatever reason, they've revved up again only now it's with tons o' cops.  I can hear the copy horses outside right now getting ready to go to work. (They always park the horse trailers on the street just under my terrace.) 

I'd be ok if there wasn't a lot of rioting and no one got hurt and the 'hood didn't get trashed and, particularly, ok if there's no earth quake next Tuesday morning. It was a bitch.  I'm just sayin'.