Someplace I lived as a child, memoir prompt #2

Today we’ll take a look at how place can become a meaningful part of your memoir. Here’s my take on New Orleans, where I lived in the early 1980’s.

New Orleans, Part 1

There’s no city in the world like New Orleans. A blend of Spanish, French and Cajun cultures, Old World charm and southern tranquility, it exudes an aura all its own. The birthplace of jazz, it also has a lively – and seedy – side to its character. I wasn’t exposed to this aspect of the city, however. Mom and Dad saw to that.

Despite the damp, sticky heat, I always enjoyed our family’s forays into the French Quarter at the heart of the city. To my young eyes, everything was exotic: the cramped shops selling everything from sugary pralines to voodoo trinkets and incense, the monuments to southern war heroes, the trolley cars ringing past, the wrought-iron fences surrounding lush, garden patios, even the Muddy Mississippi, which was as brown as its nickname implies. I read Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer while we were living in New Orleans, and I was fascinated by these legendary characters and the river that played such a role in their adventures.

There was always plenty to see, taste and smell in New Orleans. I remember touring the Mississippi on a paddleboat, sampling the spicy Cajun food and visiting the wax museum filled with characters from the city’s history. One of my favorite pleasures, however, was a simple one. When I got tired of walking the cobblestone alleys, I liked to purchase a bag of crumbs from a street vendor, sit beside a cool fountain and feed the pigeons that gathered there.

Comment from the coach: When describing a place where you lived as a child, be sure to include a bit of history, which provides broader scope. Also include sensory details, such as the mention here of “the damp, sticky heat.” Highlight specific details and experiences that are unique to you.