DELCAMBRE, La. (NEWS 15) — The 73rd Annual Shrimp Festival is in full swing, celebrating Delcambre’s vibrant shrimping industry. Visitors from across the region are flocking to the event, where they are warmly greeted by Mayor Christopher “Tippy” Esponge.
Esponge, who once envisioned a career in the oil field, found his path leading to the mayor’s office instead. An unexpected turn of events changed his life direction.
It’s a good story born from my own narrow-mindedness, my need to stereotype someone. A couple of days ago in Delcambre, I wanted to interview the mayor. A guy meets me at the festival grounds and says, ‘How are you?’ I said, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah; I’m here to see the mayor.’ That guy can’t be the mayor, right? He’s in a wheelchair…