Greetings from Carrboro,

I had Boy Scouts every Tuesday night. 7:30 – 9:00. We learned how to tie knots and bandage burns and then skinned our knees playing ultimate frisbee in the brightly lit parking lot of St. Vincent’s Church where our meetings were held. And, tragically, that meant we missed Happy Days. Skipping Laverne & Shirley was decidedly less damaging to our teen-age cred. But the Fonz was, well, the Fonz. Such were the profound sacrifices upstanding young men made for merit badges circa 1981.

So Tuesdays have always had a bit of teen-age PTSD attached. Excepting Mardi Gras. That’s a Tuesday that I can fully get behind. But I have a feeling that Mardi Gras doesn’t quite gel with the inherent Boy Scout ethos. Though it is fun to imagine the New Orleans branch allowing merit badges for Bead Throwing or Gumbo Eating or Mask Making. Hell, a raucous float could be an admiral Eagle Scout project. And selling Hurricanes and Sazeracs on a parade route would probably raise some serious cash for a charity.

But with that Scout oath about young men being mentally awake and morally straight, I don’t think Mardi Gras would create the optimal vibe. Luckily, we’re not Boy Scouts anymore. And Mardi Gras is tonight, the 17th, and both Acme and Atlas are throwing a party with enough beads for the entire town. Oyster po’boys, gumbo, & jambalaya. Etoufée, red beans & rice, and blackened salmon. And all the cocktails that thrum in the heartbeat of New Orleans. We’ll have the soundtrack and, yes, we’ll be dressed for the occasion. So, you know, come on in and join the Acme Krewe. It’s  going to be a great night.

And tomorrow, the 18th, is Acme’s 28th anniversary. You read that right. That’s flat-out unbelievable to me. It feels like yesterday when the doors opened and we prayed that people would show up. A lot of water has gone under that bridge since then. A lot. It’s been a thrilling ride and we couldn’t have done it without each and every one of you. To celebrate, we will have cake and bubbly until we run out for all of you who join us.

Well, that’s all the news from Carrboro. The staff at Acme look forward to serving you soon.

Cheers,
The Staff at Acme