A few months after I turned 18, my parents took my brother and I to visit the World’s Fair in New Orleans. The 1984 Louisiana World Exposition was the first (and only) world expo to declare bankruptcy during its run, the last time the McBride family would travel as its original party of four and the first of three times I would be a legal adult.

We had a wonderful time traveling as a family of grown-ups. I clearly remember my father ordering a round of Pat O’Brien’s signature Hurricane cock...