And Brennan’s was not just a busy restaurant. It was a world-famous restaurant—particularly known for breakfast.

On an average day, we might serve 1,100 or 1,200 people for breakfast and lunch, and another 600 at dinner.

During Mardi Gras, the French Quarter was even more chaotic.

The streets were crowded. People were celebrating. People were drinking. And some people had apparently decided that good judgment was something they would pick up again after Ash Wednesday.

So, during Mardi Gras, Brennan’s hired two off-duty New Orleans police officers to watch the front door.

Over time, I got to know them pretty well. We would feed them, visit with them and give them a little break from the activity outside.

One of those officers was a motorcycle policeman named Larry Pridgen.

At the end of one Mardi Gras season, Larry handed me his New Orleans Police Department business card. He said, “Fred, ke...