By Eddie Pipkin
Image by Dmitry Abramov from Pixabay
I love reading about quirky phrases, so I was delighted when I came across this one sometime in the past few months — I can’t even remember where; surely in New Orleans when I was there for a weekend in December: “Lache pas a la patate!” (Or the Cajun transliteration, “Losh la pa tot!”) The straightforward translation to English from the French is, “Don’t let go of the potato!” But the true Cajun spirit of this phrase when used in southern Louisiana and thereabouts is a heartfelt and encouraging shorthand for “Don’t give up!” Or in the parlance of 1970s bedroom poster affirmations, “Hang in there, baby!” However you say it, it’s a great mid-summer reminder.
It’s fun, right? This idea of holding on to one’s potato with an unwavering grip and a gritty smile on one’s face, no matter what. Why this humble vegetable may be in danger of slipping from our grip, no one can say for