Trip Up to New Orleans, Louisiana
~We get to Edmond from Tulsa, and the people from Claremore were just leaving as we get to Edmond. So we wait an hour and a half for them. When they get there we realize why - they had about 50 people with them as well.
~We go through Denton, Texas. Since it's such a large group of us (6 vans full) - every time we stop it's for 45 minutes or longer, so it takes so very long to get down there.
~There's a "Condoms To Go" store in Texas... weirdo's. lol.
~Get to New Orleans 5pm. Cards abandoned, water lines visible everywhere, side streets devastated... 8 is the count I saw the highest for dead bodies found... 8(
~Stand in line for food for an hour or moore. Cots side by side and almost overlapping. Sort of like the hurricane survivors - except they only had stadium seating at best.
~It's very "Grounding" to see everything and be here and experience it in person - TV, radio, and other medias can't get it across the smell, the oppressive feeling, etc.
~On my trip I experienced 2 instances of racism against me (I'm white, they were Black). At a convenience store 2 ladies cut in front of me in line and just looked to see if I would challenge them. I looked at them curiously and just let it happen. I wasn't afraid, and wasn't disrespectful, just stood there and waited for a better turn. The second instance was when my groupmate Antionette (pronounced Antanette) said that "White people smell like dogs when they get wet." Other racism experienced was when an Indian (not Native American) girl on the bus was talking negatively about another minority, and the other minority talked derogatorily about her being Indian - and they Didn't Care - they were joking about it. So much joking about racism. 8(
Got There
~6 months after the hurricane hit and it's still a wonderland of disaster. We're stationed in the Lower 9th Ward - the hardest hit by Katrina. Flood waters hadn't gone down by the time hurricane Rita hit either. All on the houses we see TFW, TFW, TFW, and the X's which I'll never get out of my mind - with the numbers you hope not to see.
~Night One there - one word to describe it: Squeegie. The cots make this unGodly sound of a squeegy or squelch or squawk when we move in them. And when people get up out of them it's a horrible racket. I sat there and listened for a bit - when one would go off it would send a wave of them off, then it would die down for a bit, only to be followed again by another wave.
~Citizens of New Orleans appreciate us - honk honk honk honk and wave as they drive by the 3 block-long chow line. Some would stop and take Our pictures, some would stop and ask us what we were doing, how we were doing, what they could do to help, or just express their appreciation.
~Saw a dog house on a trash pile....... Only saw 6 pets while I was there. Two dogs pictured in the Slide Show, and 1 dog with a man looking out onto the street from a home. Saw 2 dogs in a car - one had on a Mardi Gras bead colar and one was in a lap. The last we saw was in a parked truck in a parking lot.
~There is Maybe a 6-inch path between the cots. I soooo lucked out and got one at the end. Otherwise - Two people could get stuck with my snoring close up!
~Early morning bathroom excursion... 1st have to find the path at night with no lights... Then brave the Portapotty land... Great Land o' the Portapottys..... wow...
Getting to Work
~Getting to the house through the devestation was interesting, as there were few street signs and street lights to guide our way.
~We get there and the homeowner had taken out all the furniture and refrigerator and everything out for us already. Everything but the kitchen sink and stove. We were warned about refrigerators. They said that if we got a house with a fridge in it just to duct tape it shut, move it out, and Don't Get Curious. The last team that got curious opened it up and got rotted flood water on them along with nasty big maggots and other living creepy crawlies on them. And, it wouldn't be nice to puke in your masks.
~We got to work pulling up carpets, tile, pulling off wood panelling and drywall. Everything down to the studs. Everything. Insulation... Everything. The smell - I can't describe it to you. Have you ever been at an indoor yardsale where they have moldy smelling books and or magazines? Well - multiply that times like... 100 or something. I wanted to puke instantly and I've got a pretty amazing stomach.
~We were instructed to put everything in a pile as high and wide as we could, and at least 3 feet into the street - because if it wasn't in the way enough it wouldn't be picked up by the trash men.
My Way Back
I rented a car - a Hundai Sonata. I like them as well or better than my lil Honda Civic. 8) Good car that. 8)
~I had woke up at 5am on Monday morning. At 9pm I was at the airport picking up my car after working all day. I drove through the night.
~I call my Mom at 1am while driving through Mississippi trying to stay awake. She'd said that she sometimes keeps David awake, and sometimes she can't sleep so she's awake at all hours, and that I can call her. I decided to test it. She's asleep so I leave a message. I'm kind of glad I didn't wake her up. She deserves to sleep.
~By the way - what's up with the huge purple pyramid in Nashville? It looks like it Rocks! 8)
~I had such a sense of accomplishment going and doing all this by myself - totally out of my comfort zone, not knowing anyone. I crossed the Mississsippi River right out of Nashville with this sense of awe.
~About an hour past that I was in wonder at my ability to stay awake when I heard the Sleep Strip on the highway. My eyes popped open and I remembered my eyes rolling to the back of my head as I passed out. Thank God for sleep strips. Literally.
~5 minute nap later after I find a rest stop and I'm on my way again.
~10 minute nap after Little Rock and I'm on my way Again.
~I hit Oklahoma and Mom calls. She said she got my message that I called at 2am! lol. Yeah... (it was 1:01am) I told her what I was doing, and that I was driving home earlier than expected. And she talks to me for a few minutes. I've never been More happy to see Oklahoma.
~ I get home, take a looooong shower. Wash my hair 3 times, condition it, scrub my body like nobody's business, and turn off the water and just stand there for a moment - not being rushed in a communal shower and being able to step out 10 steps to my own bed after changing into non-stinky clean clothes. Ahhhhh...