If you turn your back on the Mississippi and walk along the Canal Street with nothing special in mind... lazy even to do the shopping... you will feel how colorful and full of life New Orleans is. Like every Southern town it is a bit slow though crowded... Today's Saturday. Feels so good and even don't bother yourself to find why... Glancing at the stores you pass by Rubenshtein's, Woolworth...Wigs... - smile - who needs them? It's so warm and sunny though it's only the beginning of spring...
You continue along the Canal Street... After one more crossing on the right after about twenty minutes walk from the port there is a store. La Mason Blanche. French traditions are still alive here. Once a year about two million people come here to celebrate Mardi Gras - the great festivity New Orleans is known for throughout the US.
La Mason Blanche... though I was at the place not once I never saw any customer entering this store. So strange...this thought came into my mind later. Must be very exquisite and expensive. Not many people nearby. Fine delicate dresses in the display windows. Rather fashionable and of classic design. Something made me slow down here for no obvious reason. Something was in the air...
...and then I saw him. A man of about forty in a white shirt and a dark suit with a tie. Sitting on a chair. He was holding a lead and at some distance also sitting was his dog. Both were motionless. Like statues. They seemed to have been here since early morning and were not going to leave soon. The man's shoes were well polished and shone. Near the left there was a can. The man was blind. Both were composed. Very dignified. And I realized it would never occur to anybody to ask this man with a dog not to sit in front of this expensive store and to move somewhere else. I put a dime in a can. He heard a coin drop. Nothing changed in the expression of his face - only a slight movement of the lips showed that he wanted to say something but stopped himself. And at that moment I felt some warmth... in the air. Gratitude. For understanding. Unspoken. Suddenly I remembered that in a hurry I had put some change into my pocket. Soon it was in a can. This time I felt nothing.... The man seemed to be deep in thought. I turned and went away quickly. I knew this man was happy. I was sure of that. When I looked back I saw the dog's eyes. It was looking straight at me and I understood everything. No more words.
America, you may be proud of your sons - even those who will never become heroes but every day display an unbroken spirit, the lust for life... Free in their soul and mind. Independant and courageous.
La Mason Blanche.
The White House.