I
just finished watching the well-written and well-acted HBO mini-series “True
Detective.” Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson were the stars and
executive producers, and the story slowly unfolded, surprising viewers each and
every episode.
By the end, we were
rooting for these two flawed detectives and, at the same time, left with images
that the back roads and towns of Louisiana were filled smoke-spewing oil
refineries and ignorant, evil people.
Not
true.
It’s
easy to think Louisiana is nothing more than a concrete highway dotted with
Popeye’s Fried Chicken franchises. Beyond the interstates and main highways,
though, lies a beautiful state with a generous people.
On
recent trips to Baton Rouge, we’ve taken detours up highways west of the
capitol city to avoid the traffic backups over the Mississippi River. The diversions
are a satisfying choice as the landscape is a welcome relief from rushing
casino-bound traffic.
On quiet roads, we’ve
traveled past densely-packed sugar cane fields as far as the eye could see.
Majestic oak trees, their Spanish moss swaying in the branches like a woman’s
silk scarf, line up like sentries through these small towns.
Houses are located away
from the highway, and most feature an inviting wrap-around Acadian-style front
porch. That style of architecture dates back dozens of years to early settlers
who spent evenings gathered on the porches to enjoy the breezes, courtesy of
the state’s many rivers and bayous.
We’ve
stopped at small antique shops, and the shopkeepers couldn’t have been nicer. People
milled through the stores, and their Cajun-accented conversations were
delightful to the ear. The air was filled with laughter and exchanges with us
and other people in the store.
A
trip over Spring Break took me past parks and baseball diamonds filled with
youngsters ready for spring ball. No voodoo or backwoods people here – the
parking lots were filled with Suburbans and mini-vans, just as they are in
every other state.
The state’s tried to
make a name for herself with shows like “Swamp People” that draws thousands of
visitors, but they leave people with the impression all Louisianans
walk around muttering “choot-em.”
While
the former governor, Edwin Edwards, humiliated himself with a show about him
and his young wife, most people cringed knowing this charlatan was once again
milking somebody for money at the expense of his own dignity and, ultimately,
that of a state that put her trust in him and had it betrayed time and time
again by those who sacrificed a good people for a quick buck.
While I applaud the
producers of “True Detective” for bringing their money to the state, I’m
saddened thinking those not familiar with the South would believe those dark,
dingy bars, crooks and backwoods people are all that make up the Bayou State.
It’s the same with
those who think Texas is nothing more than braggarts and women with big hair
who spend every other day in the nail salon or that people from New York are
rude or people from Wisconsin walk around with a fake block of cheese on their
head.
We need to stop judging
states by what’s on the surface and take a look at the lifeblood of each and
every state – the people and families quietly going about their business.
The next time you head
east through Louisiana, take a side trip off the concrete chute and leisurely tour
the back roads. Take time to savor a cup of café-au-lait and beignets and visit
with the owners. Find the beauty that’s shyly hiding in a state that’s often
painted with a narrow brush.
You won’t be
disappointed, cher.
This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.
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