When I'm processing archival material sticky notes all get removed. This one was on a note about the location of a luncheon meeting.

I've lived in other parts of the country but I don't recall people giving directions by listing something that isn't there any more. Here in Slidell it's the turn you make "where Purvis Lumber used to be." I think it's at least 25 years since it was there, and as of a year ago nothing had replaced it except for a giant catfish that used to grace the entrance to a restaurant called Kelly's Katfish. That restaurant closed a long time ago, and Katrina took away the remnants of the building. There is now a new building on the old Kelly's site, as yet unlabelled.

We have one street with two names. "Newcomers" call it Sgt. Alfred Drive. Old-timers call it Third Street. The street signs carry both names. We left* before Sgt. Alfred became a member of the Slidell police force. He was the first African-American Slidell cop and he had the great misfortune to be the first officer killed in the line of duty in a long time--if at all.

But when I spotted the "Mama Eagur's" note I knew exactly where it was. The writer spelled the name wrong--it was "Mama Igor's," but I knew it had been a restaurant on Magazine Street in New Orleans. The restaurant is still open, but it has a different name now. I think it's the third or fourth name since I had business being in that area.

I'm sure that in years to come there will be A LOT of directions given that refer to places that used to be. Katrina has sort of insured that.

*(We lived in Slidell '63 - '68, then returned in '76.)