Collection

I remember coming back into the city 10 days after the flood and how eerie it was not to hear any white/background noise of A.C., traffic, ships, trains etc. The C130s supply planes flew so low they looked like they were clipping the tops of the oaks. My step father in law had 2 guns, My wife's cousin's husband had 2 guns. My wife had a gun. We got stopped by the cops when we were getting stuff from our houses (C. Ray had said that we might not be able to get back for 6 months so we had to get some things) and the cops asked us, "Did you take all your guns?" The cops asked us that. When's the last time the cops asked you that?

We moved back 2 weeks after that the day after the city opened. The stink. The refrigerators. I was working helping clean up debris in Kenner so I had to drive from the 12th Ward to Williams starting at 5:30 AM. There were no lights or trafffic lights on Claiborne. Driving I-10 west past Airline by the cemeteries there was no light at all. It was looking out over the ocean. My wife spent those days calling contractors and running around getting supplies and fresh water and MREs at the assorted Red Cross places around the outskirts of town. We'd get home and wash each others' hair with gallons of water in the bathtub. I'd play the jazz covers of Pavement tunes album over and over and worry.

Glad we made it through it. I had it easy compared to most, and I don't forget it. However, I wouldn't want to go through it again. I don't want anyone to go through it again.