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"What's that?"

"You've got to give me a token, something valuable to open the doors. Oh, it ain't for me," she added quickly. "It's a gift for the saints to thank them for help in the success of your gris-giis. I'll drop it by

the church. Whaecha got?"

"I don't have anything valuable," I said. "You got any money on you?" she asked. "A little money I've earned selling my artwork,"

I told her.

"Good," she said. "You give me a ten dollar bill

at the phone booth and that will give me the power.

You lucky you found me, honey. Otherwise, you'd be

wanderin' around this city all night and all day. Must

be meant to be. Must be I be your good gris-gris." And with that she laughed again and again

began describing how wonderful her new life in New

Orleans was going to be once her aunt got her the

opportunity to sing.

When I first saw the skyline of the city, I was

glad I had found Annie Gray. There were so many

buildings and there were so many lights, I felt as if I

had fallen into a star laden sky. The traffic and people,

the maze of streets was over-whelming and

frightening. Everywhere I looked out the bus window,

I saw crowds of revelers marching through the streets,

all of them dressed in bright costumes, wearing masks and hats with bright feathers and carrying colorful paper umbrellas. Instead of masks, some had their faces made up to look like clowns, even the women. People were playing trumpets and trombones, flutes and drums. The bus driver had to slow down and wait for the crowds to cross at almost every corner before finally pulling into the bus station. As soon as he did so, our bus was surrounded by partygoers and musicians greeting the arriving passengers. Some were given masks, some had ropes of plastic jewels cast over their heads and some were given paper umbrellas. It seemed if you weren't celebrating Mardi

Gras, you weren't welcome in New Orleans. "Hurry," Annie told me as we started down the

aisle. As soon as I stepped down, someone grabbed

my left hand, shoved a paper umbrella into my right,

and pulled me into the parade of brightly dressed

people so that I was forced to march around the bus

with them. Annie laughed and threw her hands up as

she started to dance and swing herself in behind me.

We marched around as the bus driver unloaded the

luggage. When Annie saw hers, she pulled me out of