We Have All Been An Unforgettable One-Night Stand In Somebody's Story

The possibility of leaving your indelible stamp somewhere in the world.

When travelling, few things impact me as much as the people I meet.

Sure, I’ve witnessed some epic sunsets, walked alone on endless dirt roads and beaches, and explored more than my fair share.

But it’s the people I’ve met along the way that far surpass every other wonder of travel. People who have added incredible value to my journeys. Without them, I would have never discovered half the treasures each destination offers.

These humans are called the “Unforgettables.”

I can’t possibly list them all in a single story but I can tell you about one. I bet he doesn’t even know he was this memorable. But does he remember us the way we remember him?

My viewpoint from the entryway of the Roosevelt Hotel, New Orleans.

My travel partner and I thought surely this man must have been a trust fund baby and somehow he became our date, just for one night.

His name was Harrison and we bumped into him outside the Nopsi Hotel in downtown New Orleans. We spent the evening at the rooftop bar and just as we had decided to call it a night and go back to our own hotel, we met him.

Harrison was standing out front of the Nopsi smoking a cigar. He wore a casual suit and a straw boater hat that would fit in well on a plantation or at a polo club. Khaki pants, a dark sport coat, a white dress shirt…and that hat.

No one dresses like this where I come from.

I can’t even remember how conversation sparked between us and him, except that we were all smoking in the same vicinity.

My first impression of Harrison was arrogance. He spoke in short sentences, was not forthcoming at all, and he reeked of old money.

This was only our second night in New Orleans so we hadn’t been anywhere yet, nor even figured out exactly where we should be. Yet Harrison seemed perplexed that we hadn’t heard of the world-famous Sazerac bar. It is located inside the swanky Roosevelt Hotel (a Waldorf property).

Of course we didn’t know about it….we’re not classy enough for Waldorf.

In his dry, arrogant demeanor he remarked, “Alright. Come with me, ladies. My treat.” He said it in a tone that made us sound like a house chore.

Harrison placed himself between us, put his hands on each hip so we could loop our arms through his, and he became our escort through the nighttime streets of New Orleans.

We were on a journey to the 1930s

Walking through the entryway of the Sazerac bar accompanied by Harrison was like stepping into a piece of history. Everyone knew him and he didn’t even need to utter words before the bartender served us each an elegant glass of the world’s first mixed cocktail.

Our beverages appeared out of thin air in this order:

First, the renowned Sazerac cocktail. An $18.00 concoction of Sazerac rye, Paychaud’s bitters, sugar, and Herbsaint.

Second, the equally illustrious Ramos gin fizz…shaken so vigorously it comes out with meringue on top. It literally tasted like a slice of lemon pie in a glass.

My Ramos gin fizz right before I chugged it.

The most charming aspect of Harrison was that the more we chatted with him the less arrogant he seemed. He morphed into a dreamer right before our eyes…a star-crossed lover sharing tales of his beautiful fiance in Estonia.

I mean, why wouldn’t he have a fiance from Estonia? He’s Harrison from New Orleans!

As he spoke of her his face lit up, his eyes sparkled, and he gazed off into the distance with a tender smile on his face. We couldn’t help but instantly fall in love with the guy.

The night ran late and eventually, the three of us were sufficiently boozed up. It was time to walk arm-in-arm back to the Nopsi and drop off our esteemed date. Afterwards, my friend and I walked the last few blocks back to our own hotel, The Troubadour.

And that was our one-night stand with Harrison of the historical Sazerac bar. He was one of the most memorable people we met during our ten-day promenade around New Orleans.

I even told him I’d be writing about him one day.

But, does he remember us?

I stole his hat for the photo.

Throughout my journeys, I’ve run across a handful of Harrisons who have added just the right amount of brilliance to my life of travel. Many of them I’ll never forget for one reason or another.

I’ve often wondered if those one-time meetings in the most random corners of the world meant anything to the other person. Obviously, they’ve meant a great deal to me or I wouldn’t end up writing about them.

But do they feel the same way? Did I add enough sparkle to their lives that they would remember ‘that one night in a fancy bar’? Or was I just another tourist they met in passing?

I firmly believe I’ve been much more than a tourist to several Harrisons of the world.

One of them in particular is named Stephen, also from New Orleans. Stephen was supposed to be just one reckless night full of Fireball shots in a gritty jazz bar and a risque after-party. 😉 Yet here we are, nearly five years later, still in regular contact without ever having seen each other again. Something about both of us was unforgettable to each other that one night.

Or Prince, who was just supposed to be a taxi driver in Jamaica. Yet, here we are, seventeen whole years later, practically family. Something about each of us was unforgettable enough to turn a taxi ride into a lifelong friendship.

I like to think that everyone is unforgettable to someone.

I’m willing to bet money that at least one human you’ve encountered somewhere in your travels still remembers you, talks about you, and possibly writes a story about you.

This is the beauty of travelling to destinations unknown and opening ourselves up to chance…the fortuitous possibility of having an impact on a stranger and leaving our indelible “stamp” somewhere in the world.

Even if we never see that person again.

Who is someone you consider an Unforgettable? In what part of the world did you meet and how have they left their distinct mark on your soul? Have you ever written about them?