Can’t say as I understand the point of Walker Percy’s The Moviegoer. The narrator doesn’t attend all that many movies.

But he describes everything beautifully–a family picture on the mantel, a disappointed relative, a chimney sweep on the street, hollering in French.

If you would like a virtual visit to New Orleans just before the Mardi Gras of 1960 or so, if you would like to go inside one of its mansions and hang out with the rich people there, Moviegoer is your ticket. These people have problems, you know: organizing their Mardi Gras parades, beautiful cousins who are suicide risks, general malaise. The narrator can’t quite put his finger on it, this malaise, but he mulls it over for 212 yellowed pages. Beautifully.

After wrestling with this literary thickness, I needed a simple supper. So Santa Fe Enchiladas it was, using shortcuts like Cheez Whiz. Many gooey, tasty forkfuls.

I paired it with Punch Bowl Trifle, except this trifle feeds 24 people and I can’t come up with 24 people just now. So I made it all into a parfait just for me.

Any suggestions for the leftover cake, strawberry glaze and Cool Whip? I think we’re in for some sweet creativity every afternoon this week.