Mr. Okra
This guy has been cruising the Treme in his truck with a speaker announcing his presence. It reminded me of Mexico City. Mr. Okra is providing a great selection of produce in a part of the City where there is no grocery store. The only thing he didn’t have was lettuce. I don’t know where his other territories are, perhaps others have seen him about town. It’s worth it just to see his truck.
Fruit magnets on the hood of his truck
He usually cruises the Bywater and Marigny. Been doing it for years and years. Lost his truck in the storm and the neighbors got together and bought him a new one. He and his produce are awesome!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFfcLYRn5LQ
Morning 40 featured him in their video…
Is this the same guy with the muffled "I have onions I have corn, I have lettuce and tomatoes" song? (if you can call that a song)
I love hearing him come down my street.
Yeah, Chris, that’s the dialogue he has going. It’s pretty funny because it’s muffled, like you said.
I’m really glad to hear his whole story about his getting a new truck from the neighbors. I never saw him in Treme before Katrina but we had the Winn Dixie and Circle groceries before the storm and now there is nothing.
I think this guy is the one in The Other Planets’ song "I Have Oranges and Bananas." That’s a great song! Check it out if you haven’t heard The Other Planets before. Great local band that doesn’t get enough exposure.
I haven’t caught him yet but I hear him all the time in our neighborhood. I really want to check him out one day. When I have the time I don’t have the cash.
I hear ya on that, the day I caught him here I had like $3 on me . . . there’s no grocery and no convenient ATM either.