New Toulouse

When five residents of New Babbage, attending court here, procured passes and went to visit the New Toulouse parish police department, Constable Erdferkel, the turnkey, took them in the cell room and, according to custom, locked them in.

When they were ready to get out, the turnkey found that his big key had broken off in the lock.

For hours local locksmiths tried to release the unwilling prisoners, but their skill was unequal to the resistance of the clogged mechanism.

At night Inspector Palmer passed their suppers between the bars. In the morning the inspector was finally able to contact the city’s most expert locksmith and have him open the door; the locksmith had been out dancing and having a jollification the previous night and was unreachable during the initial crisis.

Jack Mondieu carouses with local experts and consequently sniffs out stories.

Following Pazzo Pestana’s sudden resignation from the helm of the New Toulouse parish police, today Mayor Godenot appointed John Palmer to the post. When asked for a remark about his promotion, Inspector Palmer replied, “Go about your own business—nothing to see here.”

The mayor’s office had no comment on either the resignation or the appointment. The watering holes of New Tou are abuzz with speculation as to why Pestana left his post so abruptly. He could not be reached for comment, as he was out of town attending to some horse trading business.

Palmer, known to many in town as “Pappy,” had been a police officer in Florida before moving to New Toulouse. He worked for his cousin Blake Palmer (this year’s king of Carnival) in various capacities and started his own catering service before joining the police force. He is often seen in the company of Constable Bruno Erdferkel.

Gigi Lapin lives in New Toulouse Bayou with her pet crawfish, Jimbo.