“There are absolutely no words to explain this to the outside world.” That was a statement made by a good friend, Dannae, from California, who has lived in Mobile for about three years. We were waiting for the Merry Widows to arrive at Joe Caine’s house to make their annual debut on the porch to throw black roses and beads to the cheering crowd. In the hour before, a dis-jockey plays music and people dance in the street, making the wait for the widows a party itself. And Dannae was right! There are no words to explain that, or even the rest of Mardi Gras, to the outside world.
Before moving to Mobile, I would have never believed there was really a land – especially here on American soil –full of Kings and Queens. I dared to imagine it as a child, as one of many movies I wrote and produced over the years that took place only in my mind, specifically to give myself a break from the realities of a world that, to me, was like putting a round peg in a square hole. I didn’t know at the time how ill-fit I was in the north. But a tell-tale sign was my need to explain everything to everyone. In reality, I was really explaining things to myself, trying to make sense out of a world that, to me, made no sense at all. But for some reason, Mobile and the Gulf Coast, in all of its kookiness, frivolity, and the over-the-top ways they do everything, makes perfect sense to me, as though I had known all along that this is how it life should be. Nothing needs to be explained now, even to those who demand an explanation!
On a conscious level, I probably know only a fraction of the reasons this feels so right and those are what this post is about; a world where everyone has a place, people value the happiness and well-being of their neighbors as they do themselves, things that seem frivolous serve practical purposes, everybody is included, and life is viewed not as something to endure, but to relish and celebrate every moment possible. And let’s not forget the way people interact, chatting with strangers while waiting in long lines, friendships made in strange circumstances including long lines, post-hurricane barbecues where people have no power and are cooking everything in their freezers, Art walks, Balls, and even hiking in the woods. I’m amazed at the close friends I’ve met in the funniest ways that would seem strange to much of the country.
And then there’s Mardi Gras with the parades and balls! Millions of dollars are spent each year with no less than 10,000 costumes handmade every year by local seamstresses. The number of prom dresses sold in cities around the country is dwarfed in comparison to the ball gowns sold each year before, during and after Mardi Gras. Thousands of caterers are kept busy with their biggest gigs during the Mardi Gras Season, and the bakers who are overwhelmed with Kings Cake orders and beautiful pastries and desserts for the balls, brunches, lunches, and dinners during the season. The handmade robes for Kings and Queens made every year are alleged to start at $10,000 according to the design which is created by the kings and queens, along with purchases of diamond and jeweled crowns. I’m certain I don’t know a fraction of what all this entails. And let’s not forget the local restaurants and businesses whose revenues skyrocket during Mardi Gras, and the Mardi Gras stores that thrive all year. The bottom line is, there is an astronomical amount of people employed because of Mardi Gras; many of whom may otherwise be on the unemployment line. This has an amazing financial impact that cushions the Gulf Coast communities against economic downturns.
But most fun is that so many ordinary people have their own moment of glory; the parade and then the ball call-outs (tableau) That is when all the members of the society are introduced, group by group, and they come out in mask and costume with spotlights on them, bow to the queen or king, then dance down the stairs onto the main floor. That is what the society lives for all year! Some societies parade (the other thing they live for which precedes the ball on the same night) and some don’t but the ball, callouts, parade and costumes are made according to the theme.
Now if we are all honest with ourselves, we would admit that we’d like to have our own moment of significance; when we feel loved and adored just as we are, faults and all; when the world around us stops to acknowledge us, or we are recognized for something we accomplished. Mardi Gras gives thousands of people that opportunity each year, and let’s not forget the Peoples’ Parade – on Joe Caine Day - where anyone who will pay the price can be in it.
Maybe in an odd sense, Mardi Gras gives thousands of society members significance, a season to celebrate themselves, each other, and even the homeless men, whom they pay with both money and goods to help load and unload their floats, and also to march in the parade holding the float signs - giving them an opportunity for the limelight as well.
But along with the ocean and bay breezes that sweep across the lush, garden-like city, perhaps it is Mardi Gras and the opportunity it brings that is like a vitamin shot that boosts the morale of thousands of people who, in turn, pay it forward throughout the rest of the year in their everyday lives and that makes life much nicer for everyone in general.
