Hard Times Drive Aquarium Brick Donors
To Demand Refunds

July 1st, 2008 | News, Post K

RIVERFRONT — Citing the struggles presented by a high gas prices and a slow economic recovery, a growing group of New Orleanians has contacted the Aquarium of the Americas to decades-old refunds on engraved brick donations.

Angelina Bomenicki received a donated brick as a Christmas gift while still in junior high. It reads: “Merry Christmas, Angina.”

Now a parent with a daughter in junior high to support and facing a subprime mortgage, she feels the refund is her best way to make ends meet.

“The government is just taking too long with my stimulus check, and I’ve got bills to pay,” Bomenicki said.

“It was a really lame gift. I wanted a Hypercolor shirt that year. This is my chance to get back on my feet and right a wrong from a long time ago.”

Walter “Boobsie” King, who has been out of work for months, has also contacted the Aquarium about his “Where ya at, Boobsie?” marker on the plaza.

“No Road Home money yet, and I got a lot of expenses,” said King.

King voiced concerns like his dues for himself and dog Elvis in The Krewe of Barkus, the need to replace his aging Ricky Williams jersey, and beer money.

Aquarium of the Americas officials have been reluctant to provide refund of any kind, citing the cost of replacing the bricks and the fact that the donations were small and made in good faith years ago.

Aquarium spokesman Alvin Saltombocca said that the refunds just aren’t possible given the organization’s current finances.

He also said that refunds would leave the Audobon Institute with “a bunch of useless bricks that [they] would then have to give away as gifts.”

“And who wants a stupid brick?” he added.

Also Aquarium officials forsee troubles determining the identity of brick donors. With written records destroyed by Hurricane Katrina, bricks with phrases like ”Cha-Ching!’ or ‘Marry me, Darchina.’ are nearly impossible to identify.

Cutoff resident Hunter Crawley claims that last brick is his. Besides the need to finishing paying off his debts from gambling on Hornets playoff games and Fairgrounds races, Crawley told reporters that his being divorced from a Darchina Devco of Barataria constitutes, “breach of contract or some [expletive].”

With both sides seemingly unwilling to budge, this case may end of up in court. In the meantime, claimants like King regularly visit the plaza to protest and raise awareness.

“Where I’m at? I’m right here. Right here asking for what’s mine,” he said.