Propane, Propane

The trailer runs on propane. The heater, which is not needed much requires it. More importantly the refrigerator requires it. The refer eats a combination of twelve volt electricity and propane. The trailer has two propane tanks and if properly managed, one tank is always available.

If you want to hang out, you’ve got to take her out, propane
If you want to get down, get down on the ground, propane
She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie, cocaine
If you got bad news, you want to kick them blues, propane
When your day is done and you got to run, propane
She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie, propane
If your thing is gone and you want to ride on, propane
Don’t forget this fact, you can’t get it back, propane
She don’t lie, she don’t lie, she don’t lie, propane

I had some limited experience with propane. Like many people I had a propane powered crawfish boiling rig, I had a propane torch. I used to get the tanks refilled every so often.

The first time I ran out of propane was an experience. It was a Saturday night in December. I didn't really understand how the system worked so I managed to empty both tanks at the same time. It was cold but I had a quilt. I simply decided to find someplace to fill up the tanks in the morning, or find another place to sleep in the afternoon. The alternative wasn't a problem since my mother-in-law had offered to put me up any time.

Sunday morning I woke up, cooked some breakfast and pulled out the yellow pages. Unfortunately this was the pre-K yellow pages. I looked over the listings under propane and began calling. Predictably many numbers were disconnected or no one answered. After all it was Sunday and many people were still not operating. I called several numbers and either got no answer or a disconnect recording. Finally one number answered. It was a on Barataria Boulevard on the West Bank.

I had inadvertently, in desperation stumbled on to a typically New Orleans business. It was combination Brake Tag/Propane/Daquairi/Po Boy shop. I had to see this place.I loaded up both propane tanks, and headed out. I crossed the bridge and headed down the West Bank Expressway. Taking the Barataria Boulevard exit I headed past the former Chinchuba Institute and past the former Belle Promenade Shopping Center.


I soon found my intended destination. It was a small building with a large propane tank in front and a small office where the propane and brake tags are sold. The Daiquiri/Po Boy shop was not open, but is was about only 10:00 AM Sunday morning.

I filled up the tanks and headed back across the bridge. For the next several months I adopted this as my personal propane filling station. I would use one tank until it was empty then switch to the other one. About every three weeks, on Saturday morning I would drive across the bridge and refill the empty tank.
I recently started using to another propane filling station. It's closer. It's in Orleans Parish but costs a little more. I'm willing to spend the extra three dollars (less the bridge toll) to support rebuilding and patronize a reopened business.

But, nothing can equal buying propane at the propane/brake tag/daiquiri/po boy shop.