An oyster festival without the oysters: 'We ran out'

By TERRY R. CASSREINO

METAIRIE, La. (Saturday, Nov. 15, 2009) – The giant nutria, about 6-and-a-half feet tall, was within a few feet of Matthew when his face turned to pure terror and he was on the verge of a blood-curdling scream.

So much for a photo with the kids and the Zephyrs baseball team mascot.

At least Matthew and Camryn enjoyed the sights and rode a few of the puny kiddie rides at the annual St. Clement of Rome Catholic Church Oyster Festival tonight in Metairie. That was about the only thing worthwhile at the event.

What, you say? Did you go there to see The Producers? The band you remember seeing on the S.S. President when it offered nightly concert cruises on the Mississippi River in downtown New Orleans? The same ship that now sits idle on the Mississippi in St. Louis as a floating casino?

Didn’t you go to the oyster festival to eat char-broiled oysters prepared and sold by Drago’s? Didn’t you go to enjoy the entertainment and fellowship afford by annual Catholic Church events like this one that happens nearly every week in metro New Orleans?

Well, yes and no.

The Producers sucked. They looked like a bunch of middle-age men trying to recapture the youth of the past. The keyboard player was paunchy and overweight. The others looked like they were 35 years older than the last time I saw them. And they sounded badly off key.

And the oysters – they were out. Yes, folks, you read it right: The oyster festival was out of oysters despite having another day to go. Hmmm. Sounds kind of like Popeyes being out of chicken. Or Burger King running out of ground meat for burgers.

At least we spent time together as a family.

Here are a few pictures.

And hey – it’s one week until our Thanksgiving cruise with the kids aboard Norwegian Cruise Lines. Now that should be a trip to remember.


Copyright 2009 Terry R. Cassreino. All rights reserved.