Just returned from a Chris Rose book signing at The Shops at Canal Place, better known to us as Canal Place Mall or just Saks And The Theatre. 1 Dead In Attic is a self-published compendium of “stories by Times-Picayune columnist Chris Rose, recounting the first four harrowing months of life in New Orleans after Katrina … They are stories of the dead and the living, stories of survivors and believers, stories of hope and despair. And stories about refrigerators.”
The hallmark of Chris Rose is his no-nonsense spin, with a large helping of humorous wisecracks. So, why the somber title? The back cover of the book explains it:
This book is dedicated to the memory of Thomas Coleman. He was a retired longshoreman, a storyteller, a guy who liked to spend time with family and friends. A New Orleanian. He was 80 years old when he died in his attic at 2214 St. Roch Avenue, in the 8th Ward, on or about Aug. 29, 2005. He had a can of juice and a bedspread at his side when the waters rose. There are more than a thousand like him.
At the signing with Rose were his wife, the Fearless Mrs. and their little son, James. While I have exchanged emails with Rose, this was my first time meeting him in person. The Voice of New Orleans looked tired, but was cordial to all of his patrons and made personal conversation with each one of them. As Jenny (fellow Wisconsin alum and friend) and I neared the desk, Mrs. Rose pulled out her laptop and displayed a montage of photographs taken by Charlie Varley as Katrina hit, the levees broke and chaos permeated the city. As one heartbreaking image after another flashed on the screen with Green Day’s When September Comes playing in the background, a well-dressed woman behind us looked at the pictures and announced in a voice filled with glee, “Oh, cool!” Jenny and I looked at each other as I remarked, “That’s not cool. It’s sad.”
An image of a little girl shedding tears while going through a severely traumatic experience at a tender age is not cool, no matter how you look at it.
When our turn arrived, Jenny and I shook hands with Rose and informed him that we are presidents of the New Orleans chapter of the Wisconsin Alumni Association (Go Bayou BadgersTM!). Rose, a Badger himself, was immediately happy to see us, and insisted on social get-togethers – grilling brats, hosting parties to watch basketball and football games, anything to get out and meet other locals and alumni. He received no objections from us.
And that’s what we’re going to do. Grill out, host parties, help area Badgers and others whose homes and lives suffered from the storm, and Get Out There. No matter where we came from, we are New Orleanians now and we’ve got to reach out and know our own. Just like Chris Rose.
“To Maitri,
Loot less. Love more. Lurch on.
Go Badgers!
Chris Rose”
Hey, this means when I get back in June, I don’t have to give up brats?
I draw the line at lutefisk, but man, decent local brats (not those Johnsonville things) were the one thing (along with walleye fish tacos at the lake) that I was gonna miss.
Now I know at least one person (not have met Mr. Rose), no two people (your friend who chatted Rebecca up all Ash Wednesday night who’s originally from NoDak) who will eat brats. Must freeze and bring some in June for the inevitable house party once I’m back.
Hell, I might have to just invite Chris Rose, not that he knows me from Adam. Or we could just eat his brats.