March 13, 2003
Dear Salvadore,
Greetings from Mobile, Alabama. I met you at the Mardi gras in New Orleans exactly 13 Mardi gras years ago. I do not
remember much about that Mardi gras day except that your face was painted up like a bright silver coconut. We met right up
by the Dream Palace on Frenchmen St. You came up to me and suddenly placed some type of mark upon my forehead. We spent
some time together that Mardi gras. I remember you of course, your name, and the name of your silver shop located in the
Irish Channel of New Orleans.
I have often wondered as the years passed, if the mark you placed upon my forehead in front of the Dream Palace on Frenchmen
St. that Mardi Gras in New Orleans 13 years ago contained some special significance? Maybe it did?
I have decided to mail you my Great Aunt Mimi’s collection of recordings and notes on the secrets of the New Orleans Mardi
gras, specifically The Mystick Krewe of Comus. I have no idea if any of these writings and recordings are true or
fictitious. I only know upon reading all these things I immediately thought of you.
I recall it was inside the Louisiana Kitchen, where you mentioned Judah Benjamin’s name and the number 33. Funny, as I type
this, my computer clock shows 3:00 PM, and naturally it’s the 13th day of the 3rd month. I hope all this gets to you.
Happy Mardi Gras,
Crystal