A couple of years ago I read the book, "A Confederacy of Dunces". The book is a strange piece of fiction about a character from New Orleans. There are fan clubs for the book and the author who committed suicide at a young age. The book was published a decade after he died due to his mother's persistence . She finally found an allie in Walker Percy who became the novel's champion. "A Confederacy of Dunces" is a very strange but amusing book.
Today I heard a true story that is almost as weird. I walked at the fieldhouse this morning. Neither of my regular walking buddies came. I spotted someone I knew and walked a few rounds with him. He told me the tale of Ruthie the Duck Girl of New Orleans. He had met her when he was a young sailor on leave in New Orleans in the early sixties. For the rest of her life she told people he was her fiance. Ruthie was kindly referred to as an eccentric character. She stayed in touch by letter for years. In the late 90's he was contacted by a filmmaker doing a documentary on her life because Ruthie identified him as her fiance. He was asked to be in the film. This past Sept. she died of cancer.
I found his story somewhat strange and googled her name. He had the facts correct. The article also says she was very well known in the French Quarter for years. Tourists would ask how to find Antoines and Ruthie the Duck lady. I wonder if there was a true life character that inspired John Kennedy Otoole when he wrote his book.
Today I heard a true story that is almost as weird. I walked at the fieldhouse this morning. Neither of my regular walking buddies came. I spotted someone I knew and walked a few rounds with him. He told me the tale of Ruthie the Duck Girl of New Orleans. He had met her when he was a young sailor on leave in New Orleans in the early sixties. For the rest of her life she told people he was her fiance. Ruthie was kindly referred to as an eccentric character. She stayed in touch by letter for years. In the late 90's he was contacted by a filmmaker doing a documentary on her life because Ruthie identified him as her fiance. He was asked to be in the film. This past Sept. she died of cancer.
I found his story somewhat strange and googled her name. He had the facts correct. The article also says she was very well known in the French Quarter for years. Tourists would ask how to find Antoines and Ruthie the Duck lady. I wonder if there was a true life character that inspired John Kennedy Otoole when he wrote his book.
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