My Own City of the Dead

You know you live in NOLA when your across-the-street-neighbors are all dead.


Some people may think that living across the street from a NOLA cemetery would be creepy. Not me. This "city of the dead" spices up my life in many ways. Here is my list of how:

Shock and Awe
Nothing throws down a big 'ole NOLA BOOYA to an out of town visitor than a monster honking cemetery across the street from my house.

Reminders
I have always been intrigued by cemeteries. As a kid, our family reunions were literally held at the family graveyard in Letohatchee, AL where all the kids would play massive wiffle-ball games. We used the graves as part of the field. Hitting it to a grave = home-run! I also spent a summer during college in DC giving tours of Arlington Cemetery. Whenever I am across the street, I am very impressed with the number of service people laid to rest just steps from my house. It makes me realize how many people have served over the years.... and how few young men (myself included) even strongly consider enlisting in the military these days.


Play-Time
Having spent some considerable time over the years in various cemeteries, I have lost much of the mystique associated with cemeteries. I have a young dog (Salty), and a large quiet secluded fenced area is a prime play-spot. While the fence is usually unlocked during the day, I sometimes sneak in at night with Salty for some running and romping under the stars. Is it strange to run around a cemetery at night? Probably. Is it a heckuva lot of fun? You betcha.

Directions
"Keep going till you hit the cemetery. I'm the yellow house on the right"

Perspective
Also, as a kid my family spent weekends in Clanton, AL. We would occasionally hike out into the woods to the local indian burial grounds. The indian cemetery is the most puritan I can imagine - nothing but stones in the ground to mark the head and feet of the deceased. No fancy ornaments or inscriptions. Only a small rock to mark your place. In many ways, NOLA mausoleums are not at all similar to that indian graveyard. But both dispense with the notion that the soul's vessel can or should be remain unadulterated and in prime condition after the burial. The indian site had little fanfare, simply lay your loved one to rest, and let the earth reclaim him. While NOLA mausoleums can be ornate, they are extremely utilitarian. The bodies are allowed to quickly decompose, and the chambers are reused by the next generation.



When it's my time to go, that is the way I want to be laid to rest. Place me somewhere that my remains can disappear into the world - the same way I came in.