A scuffed red playground ball currently floating in a Metairie canal appears to be taking things day by day, with no clear indication of long-term plans.
The ball, which entered the canal under circumstances that remain unconfirmed and largely unexamined, has been observed drifting slightly before returning to roughly the same general area, suggesting a level of acceptance with its current situation.
Nearby residents say the ball has not made any noticeable effort to reach the banks, instead continuing to float in place for extended periods of time.
“It doesn’t seem panicked,” said one observer. “If anything, it looks like it’s just kind of letting things happen.”
The ball has, on occasion, rotated a few degrees or shifted position slightly, though never in a way that suggests urgency. Some say they’ve started to check on it without meaning to, noticing whether it’s still there, still floating, still doing more or less the same thing. So far, it is.
“I get it,” said one resident, watching it drift back and forth. “I really do. At some point, you stop fighting it and just accept where you are.”