Louisiana Cultural Vistas - Winter 2005-2006 - (Page 49)

Faye would see that Don had something to eat and helped him in other ways, such as providing clean clothes, blankets, medication, and other items. She would also receive mail for him at her address. Don’s parents lived in Seattle, Washington, and were too old and frail to travel. They would send him Christmas cards and a birthday card with what money they could spare. Faye spoke with his parents several times on the phone, and also facilitated several phone conversations between Don and his parents. Don had a passion for journal writing, and many of these journals (nearly 60 of them) were given to Faye Lasseigne, and recently donated to The Historic New Orleans Collection. The journals provide us with a unique view into the daily life of a homeless person living in New Orleans. They are meticulously detailed, and reflective of someone with great cognitive abilities. He had designated names for each location he would frequent, and knew the precise distance between each location. He would document his day or night’s itinerary: “Woke up @ 6:30 a.m. and finished eating cheese and macaroni and cheese. Tylenol — Canon Bench — St. Ann — Presbytere Bench — At 8:15 a.m., Presbytere Bench — St. Ann — Decataur — At 10 a.m., Med At Park — Decataur — Toulouse — Waldenberg Park (River Road) — Canal St. — Convention Center Blvd. — Tchopitolous — Southern — Race — Rue de la Course.” At the end of the day, he would often note precisely how many miles he had walked. One entry indicated that he walked more than 13 miles one day. He frequently mentions his few belongings being stolen. This usually happened while he was sleeping, and another street person was generally blamed for the crime. But sometimes the theft occurred when he walked off and left his cart unattended: “Left blankets, cans, and cart on St. Phillip — also clothing, robbed of everything I did not bring in with me. Three blankets, cloth- Fenner not only kept detailed journals of his daily activities, his artistic side produced creations like these, the one at the left presented to friend Faye Lasseigne. ing, all cans, blue shoes.” He noted frequent confrontations with “drunk, drugged [teenagers].” “Harassed verbally and attacked physically in Congo Square, went around Municipal Auditorium after security guard — none available, however the threat worked and the 5 young [teenagers] left Congo Square and I stayed.” His relationship with other homeless people and French Quarter characters was a bit tumultuous. “Fight w/ Ruthie The Duck Lady when I said ‘Quack, Quack, Quack’ as she passed.” . . . “Crazy Mary sleeping on Aunt Sally’s Bench per usual. She woke up at 6 a.m. and I took her for coffee, perhaps a mistake. She’s as INSANE as usual. . . . ran into a fish named Daniel, and Midget Willie.” The journals are full of extremes. He would frequently launch into racist tirades, and then the next moment, discuss Mass at St. Louis Cathedral. He had apparently converted to Catholicism while he was homeless, and would attend Mass daily. He would paste the cathedral bulletins in the journals. Also pasted in the journals were copies of his arrest registers for lewd conduct and obstruction of a public space, along with the birthday and Christmas cards that were sent to him by his parents. “Fight w/ Ruthie The Duck Lady when I said ‘Quack, Quack, Quack’ as she passed. . . . Crazy Mary sleeping on Aunt Sally’s Bench per usual. She woke up at 6 a.m., and I took her for coffee . . . ran into a fish named Daniel, and Midget Willie.” Don Fenner, from journal Winter 2005-06/LOUISIANA CULTURAL VISTAS 49

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Louisiana Cultural Vistas - Winter 2005-2006

Louisiana Cultural Vistas - Winter 2005 Contents Letters Editor’s Column Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Louisiana State Museum After Katrina: “It’s time somebody woke us us up.” Missing New Orleans On Perilous Ground The Buildings of Louisiana (Architectural History by Karen Kingsley) Historic New Orleans Collection Louisiana Association of Museums Back to New Orleans Diary of a Displaced Person Jazz Notes (Music History by Bruce Raeburn) Cradle of the Stars The Terrible and the Brave Bookstand (Book Review by Thomas Uskali) Sound Advice (Music Review by Ben Sandmel) Forum (Commentary by James Lee Burke)

Louisiana Cultural Vistas - Winter 2005-2006

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