Heroes in our midst

I have season tickets to the Saints, and I sit by Mr. Cl10 and Dillyberto.  These are two good family guys that love New Orleans and the Saints as hysterically as I do. 

Most of the people in our section are like that.  There's the guy behind us that flies in from Huntsville for every game, the tattooed couple up a row on our left, the cross-dressers down the row, the good ol' boys on our left, the guys behind me who will actually accept when I offer to do them up in eye black, and so on.

In other words, our section, the cheap seats of 635, is a cross-section of New Orleans. We're the King Arthur krewe of sections. We're the Gentilly of sections.

We're lucky.  We're right on the rail, and the people across the walkway in front of us get about the same view, but pay about double the price. 

One couple that sits in the section in front comes in from Hattiesburg for every game.  It's a mother and daughter, and they love the Saints as much as any of us do, if not more.  They never miss a game.

The mother, Miss Ellie, has a bad knee and so Dillyberto (usually) or Cl10 or I (occasionally) will help her down the steps to her seat.  Like us, she's up against the rail, but instead of a walkway in front of her, she has nothing but the expanse of the dome.  Her daughter, Bettie, is a riot, and loves to tell us stories about how Momma won't miss a Saints game.  As a former resident of the 'burg, I always manage to bring up Leatha's BBQ Inn, which is, I truly believe, where God goes when he wants barbecue.

Well, Miss Ellie was talking about how she was going to have to have a knee replacement, and Bettie was saying that she refused to have the surgery done during the season, because she wasn't about to miss a game.

That's a Saints fan, y'all.

On February 11, Miss Ellie had a total replacement of her right knee.  According to Bettie, she's in pain, but doing well.  From Bettie:

My last words to her before she was given her "la-la land shot" was GO SAINTS!!!!

This caused Bettie to miss the Thoth activities, but she planned to hold court at Lafitte's Blacksmith shop on Mardi Gras Day.

Dillyberto did a Google search on Miss Ellie Dahmer, and we found out, to quote Dilly Berto, that "Bettie Dahmer and Ellie Dahmer's toughest challenge has not been knee surgery".

We are blessed. We are Saints fans, and we have true heroes like Miss Ellie Dahmer walking in our midst.

Long live Miss Ellie.  One of my heroes.

Comments

[berto]

I guess I feel like a legislator when the congress is out of session?

Gotta get back to 635....

Did CL10 tell you about Mardi Gras Day?

When I was walking with the Jefferson City Buzzards someone approached and asked if I sat in 635.

It is home, brother. Home.

[saintseester]

Wow. I knew her name sounded familiar. And, I'd give an eyetooth (and a lot more) for tickets in 635.

[Ed]

Good people.

[alli]

What an incredible family. Thanks for sharing.

[liprap]

Wow. God bless 'em. And I do hope Miss Ellie heals up well.

[Chef Who Dat]

Thanks for the links, Ashley, and the reminders of home. Much love from the Cafe.

On a related noted, ya'll get some "Saints survey" that one of the Cafe 641 phoned about? Don't know if it was mailed, e-mailed, or what? If it's related to whether we want to increase our tickets (yes), then I'd like to find out when/how.

[ashley]

Chef, I gots nothing.

[humidhaney]

Hats off from Section 631.