FAREWELL, MR. OKRA!
February 25, 2018
HOST INTRO: New Orleanians recently learned of the passing of Arthur J. Robinson, better known as Mr. Okra, the beloved “singing fruit man” who travelled the neighborhoods for nearly 60 years selling produce from a truck covered in paintings of vegetables. As Natalie Yahr reports, he’ll be missed by residents across the city.
Crowds filed into the Marigny Opera House for Mr. Okra’s funeral on Saturday. Outside the building, some remembered him by singing his songs. Connie Deniz was one of them.
CONNIE DENIZ: “My favorite is when he began with, ‘I got eatin’ pears and apples…”
Many referred to Mr. Okra’s passing as the end of an era. As Larry Lydon, one of his many fans, explains, Mr. Okra offered more than just a convenience and a song.
LARRY LYDON: “He fed, literally, people who would have no other source of fresh food. This is a lifeline for a lot of folks; it’s not just a cultural nicety – it’s important. And he’ll be sorely missed.”
As the funeral ended, hundreds showed up to walk in his second line, following as his daughter Sergio Robinson drove his brightly-colored truck toward BJ’s Lounge, a bar in the Bywater.
In recent years, as Mr. Okra’s health began to decline, his daughter and a friend would join him on his rounds. The two have pledged to keep the route alive, so it shouldn’t be long before New Orleanians hear those familiar songs again.
In New Orleans, I’m Natalie Yahr.
New Orleans artists Amzie Adams (left) and Chris "Jazzy Ice" Hunter with the art they created to honor Mr. Okra.
Mr. Okra's truck, laden with flower arrangements containing fruits and vegetables, waits outside the Marigny Opera House before the second line.