A Dubious Interview with Gus Babineaux
an excerpt from Burnside Soleil’s debut

Gus Babineaux, the peculiar historian of Berceuse Parish, comes from the swamp but believes South Louisiana is about more than the swamp. His efforts to document our humble village have finally found its form in a curious book, which we met over the course of three days in Berceuse to discuss. I proposed the interview should be conducted at Peach’s, our beloved local bar, but he declined and insisted I view him in his natural habitat: his cottage with a wide front porch. Given that he, unusually, has no outside seating, we talked inside where he offered me tea to be cordial, though he couldn’t brew it. He had no tea. Pressed further, he admitted that he has never bought tea in his life.