Managing Ignatius

by Jerry E. Strahan

When Jerry Strahan became manager of the Lucky Dogs hot dog cart in 1970s New Orleans, he assumed leadership of the most misfit crew of hot dog vendors in the French Quarter. In Managing Ignatius, Strahan recounts his two decades of hilarious dealings with outrageous characters including drifters, drunks, swindlers, transvestites, and the occasional college kid whose hawking refrain “don’t be a meanie, buy a weanie” still echoes through the French Quarter. As the straight man for the absurdity surrounding him, Strahan mediates disputes with loan sharks, pimps, and jealous lovers—and creates an unforgettable portrait of the delights and debauchery of the Crescent City.