Bon fires of Lutcher La.

12-24-18

We went to this Christmas Eve and it was cool as shit, the fires light the way for Papa Noel , the Cajun Santa. Looking left and right down the levy were fires as far as you could see.

When we first arrived and parked in a neighborhood of the 10,000-15,000 person community, we walked towards the crowd and music not sure what the SOP was.

A man walking down the street asked if we needed help or directions and asked where we were from, Karen instantly played the Wyoming card …when you say Wyoming , it’s like you are from outer space or something! Irina played the I’m from Russia card which is like a royal flush to Wyoming’s two of a kind…Gerard was most impressed that we traveled so far for the bon fires! We neglected to tell him Kathryn and Irina live in Baton Rouge….at least for a while. Gerard like most Louisianan’s was a bubbling caldron of hospitality and friendliness….seconds later he is whisking us off the street and into his sisters house which like most houses on the block is over flowing out the garage with what looks like a tailgate party!

Have some gumbo!!!!! Have a drink! Have some more gumbo! This is my sister! This is my second cousin twice removed,this is my uncle,he made the gumbo,this is my neighbor,he made the ice,have some GUMBO!!!!! no one seemed phased as we stumbled through the house with steaming bowls of GUMBO!!!!! And sat down to a wonderful man ( uncle Broussard????) who told stories of the family’s history as well as the town and the bon fires…all the while lovingly stroking the hand of his wife who he told us ,suffered dementia and did not understand the conversation but who was always smiling and always by his side.What a sweet man.

As we stood to leave Gerald’s sister appeared and offered the bathroom …….did I mention these people are cool as shit? None of the 30 relatives visiting in the dinning and living room seemed to notice a procession on strangers wading to the can!

As Gerard led us thru the house,garage and back onto the street,we ran the gantlet of all the folks we’d met on the way in, uncle Gumbo, second cousin,HAVE SOME GUMBO! Want a drink for the road? The neighbor who made the ice….everyone was so nice.

Gerard pointed us towards his family’s bon fire and told us to stop back by and to enjoy the festivities.

The tepees of logs encased in black cat fire crackers were impressive as the family’s set them aflame by shooting Roman candles into the structures reeking of diesel and kerosene from an OSHA approved distance of about 22 1/2 inches. As the fires where lit the family sponsored fire works started, there was a ton of money spent on that, I’m sure the competition between each family is quite high to see who can out do who!

The homes that face the levy and the street between ,look and sound like outdoor county and western bars with music blaring about Bobby Joe and Betty Lou meeting at fishing pond after dark to drink beer in “ thhhhee baaack oooof myyyy pick uuuup truck”, from the looks of the revelry this is an all day event! The bon fire sponsors build little “ bridges over the drainage ditch between the road and the the base of the levy for the masses to wheel beer coolers and all their gear to the top of the levy. During the “pre burn “the MO appears to be drinking and eating in lawn chairs while pedestrians jockey for a foot hold on the 12 ‘ wide levy top. As the crowd swells people take position on the front slope of the levy at a safe (NOT!) 4-5’away from 20’ tall tepees of inferno, the front is safer than the back where the fireworks are and where a few misguided drunken steps leads to the mighty Mississippi and a certain death. The crowd watching was stellar with only the occasional teenage boy slapping the back of his girlfriends head to extinguish her hair that became the landing zone for one or two of the eight hundred forty two billion six hundred twenty three million nine hundred seventeen thousand seven hundred fourteen QUARTER SIZES BURNING EMBERS that filled the air like giant fireflies.
Our good fortune continued as the full moon rose over the levy to a hight just above the 30 foot flames! Irina took 6-800 pictures so we are hoping for at least one usable photo.

As we picked our away down the face of the levy towards the street in an attempt to avoid the tumble down approach that some all day partiers preferred we ran into Gerard and his sister!

We did some group photos and hugs and email address exchanges and more hugs before inquiring which direction to the port o potties, Gerard’s sister said “ oh no sugar, I can’t have you wait in that line for those nasty things,follow me” I wish I could remember sisters name because she was absolutely a wonderful person!Sis marched us across the street to her buddies house where they have weekly prayer meetings, thru the garage amid more offers of GUMBO!!!!! To an absolutely beautiful kitchen and setting area, we complimented the owners daughter who was peddling drinks and GUMBO! When sis informed us that this was just the man cave!We helped ourselves to the restroom and then a tour of the homes “ courtyard”And a view of the “ house” ……..impressive to say the least. We fended off the drink and GUMBO pushers and threaded our way to the centipede of humanity on the street, after 7-8 hugs we thanked Sis and headed to our car which happened to be parked right by the house! We debated going in for a drink and more GUMBO but didn’t for fear of hanging out till we were driverless…what wonderful people.