Strolling Second Street

The 2 Street Festival had been going on all weekend, filling my neighborhood with people, cars and the smell of fried seafood, but it wasn't until late this afternoon that I finally took the time to head down there. As it happened, early-waking neighbor was sitting on his porch again as I headed toward 2 Street. He hadn't been yet, but wasn't intending to, either. Something about not having shaved or showered, so I reassured him that I hadn't done either myself today. That was enough to get him up off his bench and strolling down Clay with me.

Despite the lateness of the festival, the streets were packed. We paused at the Joe Kennedy, Jr. stage for Debo Dabney and the Happy Band. The treat wasn't so much the music, but the array of men in suits to die for...with matching shoes. One guy had a brown suit pinstriped with pink, a matching pink hat and pocket square and the most amazing brown and pink shoes I can ever hope to see. He was rivaled only by the guy in the lavender suit with the 70s-era wide white tie and the lavender hat. Awesome, simply awesome.

We made our way past the mile-long line at the Croaker's Spot tent, inhaling the delicious smells all the while, cut through the alley and ended up at the Community Stage for the First African Baptist Church Orchestra for some mighty testifying and hand clapping. We were too white to attempt joining in, but most of the crowd was way into it.

We saw several other neighbors walking the strip and talked trash about some of the more colorful people we passed, not that we had any right to comment given our casual attire. And considering we'd both already been up for ten hours, I'd say it turned out to be quite the satisfying trip down 2 Street.