[legion]

Chapter 1: Nolns

The flight from Bloomington to Atlanta wasn't bad, nor was the flight from Atlanta to Nolns. We checked into the Chateau Bourban and headed down the the Red Fish Grill for dinner.

I had the soft shelled crab. My wife had the red fish. Now, in 2002 I had the soft shelled crab, and it was the best meal of my life. This time it was stringy and flavorless. I was disappointed. I had a bite of my wife's red fish, and it was divine. The two glasses of Abita weren't bad either.

We headed down the street. We checked out the church. We checked out the square. We headed to the river and checked out the Natchez. Then we headed to Pat O'Brien's, but we didn't make it. My wife's sister called to say that the rest of the family had arrived in town....and they were having dinner at the Red Fish Grill. We went back to the Red Fish Grill.

The 13 of us crowded into two tables in front of the kitchen. I had dinner, so I was just drinking. I had another Abita and a Hurricane.

I'm used to Chicago bars. If you order top-shelf liquor, it may be poured from a Bombay Saphire bottle, but it's probably full of Beefeater. And they skimp on the alcohol.

Not in Nolns. The hurricane tasted like rocket fuel. It must have had at least double the alcohol of two Chicago hurricanes. So if you're counting that puts me at around 5 drinks...

Then we head to Pat O'Brien's. We order a round of hurricanes. Each of which must have had 4 drinks worth of alcohol....at least.

So we stumble down Bourbon street back to our respective hotels. I'm feeling it. I pretty much have to carry my wife. And it's only 10:00. I prayed to the porcelain god that night, as did my wife. As did everyone who made it to Pat O'Brien's...