Scooter Tramp Scotty Visits the French Quarter in New Orleans

 

The drifter’s life is little more than a kaleidoscope of visits into other people’s realities; for he is often moving from one place to another then spending time with the people of that particular world. I would like to offer a little piece of the world I am visiting at the moment, for it has been uncommonly interesting…

 

On winter’s slow migration south for the warmer climates of Florida, I stopped into New Orleans for a visit with a friend who lives in the famous French Quarter. For almost six weeks I’ve been camped on Burgundy St (one block north of Bourbon St) in the back yard of the little house belonging to the motorcycle riding, dready chick, known as B.B. St. Roman. Hailing from the generation just before my own, B.B. has a very colorful history.

 

BB was the road manager for Dr. John for 10 years; traveled to over 40 countries while working as the sound person for an outfit that made documentaries; and now lives in the French Quarter of New Orleans where she works with the police department in the field of homeless assistance. While working with the film crew she lived for nine months in the Himalayan Mountains with the Shaman of that region; spent personal time with the Dalai Lama; and two years traveling with Mother Teresa. In fact, it’s been like living with a little Mother Teresa around here and has been a wonderful experience for me to live amid such a sea of altruism.

 

 

But the person I’d like to talk about now is the famous Dr. John, because he dropped by the house last week and I was fortunate enough to spend some time in his company. I had just seen this guy on TV the week before.

 

Some tunes of Dr. John’s that I remember, and you may too, are: “I was in the right place, but it musta been the wrong time.” and “Such a Night”. It would seem that this man is well known here. Many have spoken of him while talking with me on the streets.

 

 

He walked into B.B.s place real slow. At the age of 74, Dr. John is still touring the world playing music and still sells the house out at almost every concert; even after all these years. Truth is, Dr. John doesn’t really know if he’s 73 or 74. He said that the governor got in trouble with a woman and burned the House of Records down—and Dr. John’s birth certificate with it—to cover his tracks. Guess that was a long time ago.

 

 

I took a liking to this guy right away; and think the feeling was mutual. He seemed an easy going, shit talkin’ type of dude with very kind eyes. In fact, his whole demeanor felt kind. B.B. later confirmed that this observation was correct. And hell, she worked with him for 10 years.

 

Dr. John told me to tell you guys out there, “Fuck it”. 

 

 

When I asked if he ever gets tired of traveling, Dr. John said, “No. But it’s best when we’re on the tour bus.” I got the feeling airports were kind of a drag for him though. Another chronic case of wonder-lust I guess. My possible future?

 

Originally from New Orleans, Dr. John only has a 10th grade education. Seems that at night he’d play two gigs in the French Quarter, or its vicinity, then be too tired for school in the mornings. The places he played were mostly fronts for the prostitution going on in back rooms. All of these places had a night club scene as a front.

 

Customers would simply hang in the bar drinking and listening to music until their turn came up. Then, in 1962, Jim Garrison, the District Attorney, closed these places down or, “Padlocked the joints” as Dr. John says. This pretty much wiped out the music scene here and probably 90% of the musicians left New Orleans. Dr. John himself went to California, then New York, and ultimately on to play around the world.

 

 

He told B.B. that Bonnie Raitt said “Hi!”. I guess they all used to work together. Dr. John told me that he knows tons of people who tell him that B.B. saved their life at one time or another. I’ve heard that from others who live here as well. In fact someone posted just that statement on my facebook yesterday. I think that living in the midst of Mother Teresa for those two years really influenced her (In fact, B.B. told me that Mother Teresa and Dr. John have been her two biggest mentors). It’s like living with a little Mother B.B. around here. She spends almost all of her high energy time in the serious service of those around her. It’s been a truly interesting experience; especially for someone who naturally leans more toward self centeredness like myself. I have another friend here (Oscar) that runs a very close second to B.B.s altruistic ways and have been unable not to notice the seemingly excessive degrees of happiness that both enjoy. Maybe some of it will rub off. In any case, like I said, the stay here has been a very wonderful experience for me.

 

Mother Teresa kept asking B.B. when she was going to join the nunnery (which is flattering she said, because Mother Teresa almost never asked that of anyone) but B.B. always politely backed out. It seems that living in a dorm with a bunch of women, cutting her hair, and especially that vow to celibacy thing, (B.B. also has a colorful sex history) was just not gonna wash. As far as the service to her fellow man though, B.B. was all in.