© 2021, Leonard Earl Johnson, All Rights Reserved
The woman walked out of the Rosa Parks Transportation Centré women's room in Lafayette, Louisiana leading a dozen or so similarly attired women. All in red, from red rubber shoes to red ribband hats.
👒
"We were hours late on the train from New Orleans," the red leader said to L. A. Norma, as she pulled a red can of Coca-Cola from a machine that looked itself
|
Courtesy of Coca-Cola Bottling Company |
like a giant red can of Coca-Cola. Next to the coin slot a flashing light informs passing readers the giant red Coke promises the smaller red Cokes inside are made sweet by "Natural Sugar." As though that would be good for you.
We are deep in the heart of Louisiana sugarcane country.
Some ladies carry red, white and blue felt pennants attached to red sticks (made in China). Most wore sashes proclaiming:
🏱🏲
Love
America
Love
The Donald
"As if that would be good for you!" L. A. Norma said, exhaling Camal Cigarette smoke.
The ladies ~ called Red Women Warriors for The Donald ~ are traveling coastal Louisiana organizing a statewide Zoom-rally to stream July Fourth from Baton Rouge.
"Because the train rocked so, we couldn't use the restroom till now!" one lady told Norma. Her red, white, and blue pennant bobbed as she talked. It read, 'Turn Back Voter Turn Out.'
|
Rosa Parks / photo credit © Leonard Earl Johnson |
L. A. Norma handed each of them a card for her fictitious July 14, Biden on Bastille Day
Concert
💙
Falsely promised on Lafayette's outdoor International Stage, a block from where we were standing at the Rosa Parks Transportation Centré Amtrak Stop.
A bronze statue of Rosa Parks sitting on a bus seat ~ today wearing a blue COVID mask ~ watched. The seat by her side was empty. Tourists sometimes sat there to have their picture taken. None of the red ladies did this. Their leader walked among them and gathered Norma's handouts. Two refused to turn over theirs. They were asked to remove their sashes reading, 'Committee to Revive the War in Vietnam.' Then they were moved to the rear of the group.
They all departed for a late lunch at Dwyer's Café on Jefferson Street. Norma lit a Camal and we walked over to Rêve Coffee Roasters on that same great art way of a street.
Two days later we returned to the Rosa Parks Centré and watched the Red Ladies boarding the train for Lake Charles, the town Louisiana's Washington delegation and FEMA forgot after their hurricane.
Two Red Women Warriors remained on the platform as the train rocked and wobbled off down the tracks. ~ www.LEJ.world✍
|
Leonard Earl Johnson with Rosa Parks / photo credit: Mark Konikoff |