February 7, 2005
New Orleans, Louisiana
Rose and Daffodil stepped off the bus in the Central Business District of New Orleans, Rose glad to be off the bus and Daffodil just glad to be somewhere new.
Hefting their backpacks, they made their way out of the bus station, stopping to take in their surroundings.
"Finally!" Daffodil stretched dramatically, spinning around on one foot to take in everything at once. "I thought we’d never get here!"
"It did take a while," Rose conceded, "though taking the bus is faster than walking or hitchhiking—safer, too."
"And we’re out of New York." Daffodil grinned, setting the straps of her backpack more firmly on her shoulders as they headed down the street. "Actually, I was kind of surprised that you wanted to come along."
"What else could I do? Stay in that rundown apartment by myself? I knew you wouldn’t stay after Roland fired you."
Daffodil scowled. "He had no reason, either. I don’t even know why he fired me."
"He didn’t that I could see—except that maybe you won’t kiss his ass and tell him how wonderful he is and what a great job he’s doing."
"I loved the look on his face when you casually told him, as he was closing up, that ‘by the way, I won’t be back. I’m headed for New Orleans in a couple of hours.’" Daffodil sighed, examining her fingernails indifferently. "I wonder if he’s found a new backup singer yet."
Rose shrugged. "Who knows? It’s no more than he deserves for treating you so shabbily."
Daffodil stopped, turning to look at her. "You know what, Rose? You’re a real friend. Not many people would just quit their job and take off like that because they thought their friend had been treated unfairly—and even pick a great destination while they’re at it."
Rose smiled, but tried to seem nonchalant. "Well, you know me…I left home because my boyfriend died in an earthquake. I left the band in Wisconsin because I found out my next boyfriend knew he was HIV-positive and slept with me anyway…I’m good at picking up and leaving. Besides, I’ve had enough of asshole men…and your uncle definitely qualifies."
Daffodil shouted with laughter, drawing a few stares from passers-by. "I gotta love you, Rose. You’re so honest."
Rose laughed, too, a little ruefully. "Yeah, that’s me…honest to a fault…or so I’ve been told." She linked arms with Daffodil and the two started down the street again. "I love you, too…but platonically, okay?"
"Sure thing. Whatever you say."
Rose looked up at Daffodil, her eyes narrowing a little at the sparkle in her best friend’s eyes.
"I mean it."
"Me, too."
Rose sighed. "Let’s find someplace cheap to eat…I’m starving. Then we can look for a place to stay and see about finding jobs."
Daffodil nodded. "Sure. Food and jobs. But a place to stay might be a little hard to come by right now…tomorrow is Mardi Gras, after all."
"It is?"
Daffodil gave Rose a surprised look. "Yeah. Isn’t that why you chose to come here?"
Rose shrugged. "I wasn’t really thinking about it. I’ve just heard about this place a lot of times and decided I wanted to visit."
"You’ve never been here before?"
"No. Dad was always away on business trips and never had time for family vacations, and Mom’s idea of a good vacation destination was someplace ‘sophisticated’—Europe, New York, Miami, but definitely not New Orleans—on those occasions when she deigned to take me along. Usually I was left with friends when both my parents were gone. My friend Sophie came here once, though, and she said it was great."
"It is. I’ve been here three times—and celebrated Mardi Gras here twice. It’s a great party—and you get to sneer at those killjoys who stand around protesting and telling everybody they’re going to hell for having such fun. It’s even more fun when two groups of protesters who hate each other see each other and start fighting. Then you just stand back and enjoy the show." Daffodil stopped under the awning of a small establishment. "Let’s eat here. Great food, low prices, and nobody cares if you’ve been on a bus for four days."
"Sure." Bowing to Daffodil’s greater knowledge of the city, Rose followed her inside.
Once they were seated and had menus in their hands, Daffodil asked, "So, is your friend Sophie from around here?"
Rose gave her a confused look. "What?"
"Your friend Sophie. You said she told you this city is great."
"She just visited here. She’s from Arizona originally."
"Oh. A pity. If she had relatives here, maybe you could convince them to let us stay with them."
"I don’t think so. Even if she had family here, I don’t like to stay with strangers."
"You stayed with me after I found you in the mountains back in California."
"I had a concussion."
"Oh, thanks a lot."
"You know I didn’t mean it like that." Rose set her menu down as the waitress came to take their orders. Turning to her, she inquired, "You wouldn’t happen to know of any places that are hiring around here, would you?"
The waitress gave her a blank look for a moment, evidently not expecting a question about job prospects. Finally, she told her, "Sure. We need a waitress. You looking for a job?"
"Yeah, and so’s my friend. She’s good at waitressing, too. Her last job was waiting tables at a nightclub in New York City."
The waitress looked at Daffodil as though she were crazy for leaving New York. "Did you want to apply?"
Daffodil shrugged. "Sure."
"I’ll take you to the manager after I take your orders."
Daffodil looked at her hesitantly. "Um…I’m not exactly dressed for a job interview."
The waitress waved her off. "It doesn’t matter. He doesn’t care."
"Well, then, lead the way."
After taking their orders, the waitress led Daffodil toward a man clad in t-shirt and jeans who was working the cash register. Rose gave her friend a thumbs-up gesture as she approached him, hoping that at least one of them would soon have a job after this sudden move.