Big Easy Graduation

 

Graduation Celebration – The Big Easy

Sundance, my brother (formerly known as James O’Connell Morgan Jr.), started his college career at Georgetown University in 1962. He has always exemplified the word “potential”.  He was, at the same time, a victim of high expectations (peers, parental, and anyone who knew him). I recall my older brother being coddled after he broke his collar bone as the Junior Varsity Quarterback at Saint Ignatius. I kid him to this day about that time when he was sipping a beverage from a bendy stray on a makeshift recovery bed set up in front of his very own TV set in the living room as the boy QB prince of Edgewater Drive.

His journey included two suspensions from Jesuit Georgetown, a study abroad (that yielded no academic credit), and a stint as a football teammate at the University of San Francisco (another Jesuit school). He also served in the Navy. (Upon discharge he postponed his academic pursuits in favor of stints in flooring sales, restaurant wait staff, and hotel hospitality work. He landed in Miami and eventually New Orleans.) Fast forward five decades and Sundance becomes a fixture at City Park as a tennis instructor. One of his students (Dawn) convinced him to explore dramatic arts at Delgado CC for which he would earn an associate’s degree. Now eligible for some government assistance our hero matriculated to the University of New Orleans and applied his newly refreshed academic discipline to earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Inter-disciplinary Studies in 2021.

This is cause for celebration. Morgan siblings descend on the Big Easy from Tampa (Greg), Cleveland (Dan), Novato, California (Rob), Columbus, Ohio (Lynn), and Saint Louis (Wes). Sundance donned a graduation cap as we gathered at the Five Guys Restaurant near his house in Mid City NOLA. This family gathering swelled to nine with the addition of Lynn’s granddaughter Colleen and Greg’s boys Wes (the Lesser) and Matt. Greg is in charge of logistics as Uber shuttle between two hotels and the restaurant.

At the restaurant, the Morgan party draws straws for original sketches by our father dating back to 1940s WWII era (framed by Rob); open envelopes of random photos selected for each of the siblings (assembled by Wes); nosh on burgers and fries served up by Greg. (He catered to our table and picked up the check as well.) Sundance presented each of his siblings with a custom money clip as a token of appreciation. Yesterday, a sibling gift pack (from Dan) and a round of "Happy Birthday to you" could be heard from the hotel suite occupied by Dan, Lynn and the 12-year old Colleen. Wes (The Lesser) and Matt took turns focusing smart phone cameras for the obligatory over documentation of the event.

Part II of the celebration is hosted by Bernie in her fabulous mid-century home where the evening includes wine, beer and a buffet style spread in the kitchen. It is here we begin to get a sense of the impact of Sundance on the community he has built over 20+ years in New Orleans. A prominent banner (Congratulations Sundance) is pool-side along white tablecloth rounds of four. Toasts are offered over champagne leading to a hearty rendition of “for he’s a jolly good fellow, nobody can deny”.

The world revolves around Sundance on this day. However, sports fans from Tampa (Greg and his boys) along with Wes and Rob camp out in front of big screens for 3 ½ hours of Stanley Cub playoff hockey between the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers (At Manning’s Sports Bar and Grill on Fulton Street). The series is not conclusive on Thursday Night (at two games to one) after the Panthers prevail avoiding elimination. Meanwhile Lynn and Dan with Colleen in tow show up just as we are departing Archie Manning’s restaurant. Rob has sponsored rounds of servings of nachos, poppers, catfish sticks, fried shrimp bits, topped off with a round of beignets (which he claims totaled under an expected price tag in the range of a night out with his wife Joy on a California date night). Dan, Lynn and Colleen still need to be fed. Greg saves the day again with a local pizza delivered to the Aster Crown Plaza Hotel on Canal Street in the French Quarter.  

Friday Night Rob insists on viewing Golden State Warriors vs. Memphis Grizzlies “play-in” game. This contest ends in disappointment for Rob into the evening hours. The 117-112 Memphis overtime victory doesn’t count for stats because of the Covid-19 truncated season. Rob, Greg and his boys are just loud enough in the adjoining room for Wes to know that the Golden State team is finished for the season. He goes back to sleep because Uber Greg is the shuttle ride to MSY (Louis Armstrong Airport) early on Saturday morning so Wes and Rob can exit the Big Easy for California and Missouri.