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Another Year Goes By

My mother died two years ago tomorrow. Shortly after her death, I sent a letter to friends. This is a copy:

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Mom passed away quiet and sweet Tuesday morning, September 9, 2003 at Ocean Springs Hospital in Mississippi of heart failure. Never one to want a big fuss, she had a simple graveyard service at 1 p.m. Friday, September 12 at New Live Oaks Cemetery in Selma, Alabama. She didn’t want the usual songs or hymns sang, ("None of that depressing gospel stuff.") But someone sang “Amazing Grace” anyway. I think that was okay, but I know she liked the Eagles’ “Best of My Love” better.Most of you didn't get to meet mom except through me and my incessant stories of her. Here's one more: Daddy grew up on Mobile Bay and it fed his mother and siblings during the Great Depression. The youngest of four, Daddy’s job was to catch blue crabs and he was as good as any commercial crabber. Later, while my sisters and I did our own growing up on the Alabama coast, we'd often catch pretty blue crabs on the verge of shedding their shells. "Busters," we called them. Daddy always could tell by looking at them which ones were about to leave their old shells and turn into soft shell crabs; a process that takes many hours, yet they remain soft only a couple. We'd place the busters in a pail of salty bay water and watch them. It was akin to giving birth, amazing to see a creature twice its size leave behind its former home looking new and shiny and vulnerable to whatever might have swam by had they been still in the bay.
We're all born that way, soft and harmless. We harden with age and experiences. Mom left us that Tuesday morning, leaving behind a pretty shell so she could become something bigger.At five-foot zip, Mom was ferocious, persnickety, and hardheaded and had my father firmly whipped. No matter what idiotic calamity her daughters wound up in, she was always on our side and physically there every time we needed her--which was a lot. Bay met Doris when he was a soldier stationed in Selma, Alabama the summer after she graduated from high school. She was working at Carter Drug Store and he spied her through the window. Love at first site, just like the songs, stories and poems. It took him six months to be granted the privilege of walking her home after work and he asked pretty much every day. Fighting through a formidable wall of six brothers and sisters, an asshole of a father and a witch of a mother, he stuck it out and eventually won. There was never a day that she didn't love him and never a day he didn't love her and they told one another this ad-nauseum right in front of their three daughters up until her last day here. The only real fight they ever had was when they were newlyweds and Dad's mom came to live with them and proceeded to boss Mom around regarding household duties. Mom left in the car and drove off. Daddy tossed Gramma out and got Mom back. She never left again until that Tuesday morning and one of the last things she did was pucker up for her Monday evening goodnight kiss from Daddy. Christmas time growing up resembled something out of a ToysRUs dreamscape. Mom rarely asked what we wanted yet she never disappointed and the result was an embarrassment of overindulgence. Come morning, wrapped boxes and doodads carpeted the living room floor and had to be shoved off the sofa so we had a decent place to sit. Growing up dirt poor--literally--during the depression, she vowed her kids would never experience the same although we were never close to being wealthy. Even the boxes of chocolate covered cherries (I never did like those nasty things) were perfectly wrapped, all the edges and patterns matching. Imagine an engineer wrapping a gift and you kind of get the idea, although she'd make him start over and do it right.On that Tuesday morning in September, Kathy and I stayed with mom while she was prepared for her last trip to Alabama. Out of all the sisters, Kathy is the strongest. I couldn’t have done this without her there.  We bathed and wrapped her and I made the nurse tuck her tiny feet in just right knowing she was watching and critiquing the process. I think we did okay, except for a proper matching pretty bow-and-ribbon tying which I'll probably catch hell over someday. July, 2001 was when Mom first started getting sick and it took me two years to get my head to the place where I could begin to accept the impending death. I've yet to have a wallowing wail and as I was told yesterday, I might not. Just moments as this one I'm having right now. Those two years of emotional hell we went through was mom's finest gift to all of us--time to get ready.

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Red Cross in Gulfport, MS Bogarts the Ice?

Someone at the Gautier Missing Persons Yahoo Group posted the following message regarding the behavior of one Red Cross group in Gulfport, Mississippi.

Rumor? Perhaps.

I wanted to let y’all know something I witnessed while in Gulfport trying to help some of my sorority sisters and their families. I was at the AMR (< --Medical Response) building near Cowan-Lorraine Rd. A lady walked up to the American Red Cross and asked if she could please have 2 bags of ice because she had not had any water in 5 days. The gentleman from the Red Cross told her they were not giving away any ice. She then asked him again to please help her. The man yelled for Security to come help him.
In no way was the lady rude or disorderly. She was simply asking for ice. (The Red Cross had 3 FULL trucks of ice sitting there.) Needless to say, THEY DID NOT HELP HER!! One of the emergency officials asked the guy why he didn't help the lady, and he would not answer.

Not 15 minutes later, a news crew pulled up to the building. Immediately, the Red Cross opened the doors of the trucks and started passing out ice. The minute the news crew left, the Red Cross shut the doors of the trucks and stopped distributing ice.
I was so angry and speechless, I didn't know what to do. I WILL BE CONTACTING the U.S. Attorney General, MS Attorney General, MS Governor, and MS Sec. of State (<--he's over all charities in Mississippi) to let them about this. There were many authorities (MEMA AND FEMA) who witnessed this as well. They will also be contacting officials.

THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE, AND THEY NEED TO BE INVESTIGATED. I will tell you the Salvation Army is working their tails off down there. They are giving supplies and food to anyone and everyone, so this is reassuring. However, The American Red Cross needs to use the money they are being given to help out at all times, not just when news crews are present. I'm hoping this is an isolated case and not the case all over the gulf coast region, but it shouldn't happen anywhere.

I hope this doesn't offend anyone who works or has family/friends that work for the Red Cross. I do believe there are good people who work for the Red Cross, and the organization, as a whole, means well. However, this is not acceptable.

If this upsets you, I'm sorry. PLEASE DO NOT email me yelling about this and telling me what all the Red Cross has done in a positive manner. I understand, but the government needs to be aware of what happened. This isn't a time to save ice when people are literally dying.

YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS

* Visit your group "gautiermissingpersons” on the web.

As the last several thousand Gulf Coast souls–dead and alive–are pulled from the water and putrid muck, my attention turns just long enough toward Washington to point a finger and place blame.

It is their fault. I’ll never believe otherwise.

As the fourth anniversary of 911 draws closer, the similarities and differences grow, a long list that leaves me hoping, praying the whole public, not just a few notables and oddballs, but everyone will speak out about the atrocities we’ve witnessed.

This week’s forgotten citizens represent us all. New Orleans may not seem like a typical American city but it is. The suffering and dead faces we witnessed are our own. This week we were forgotten, neglected and ignored in favor of.. hell, I don’t know why.

We don’t have a terrorist to blame this time so we blame our government. I’m good with that. Homeland security is a failure. If it were a television program it would’ve been pulled and trashed a long time ago.

Born and raised on the Gulf Coast I know first-hand what happens after a hurricane. The National Guard is often called in to keep the lawless few from causing more damage. Riding out a storm is no fun but usually the aftermath is worse. After a storm we are emotionally battered. We’re angry. We’re hot–oh damn, we’re so blasted hot. If we evacuated, we want to see our homes and families. Often we’re kept out and until this past week, it’s always been to protect us and protect our property.

But kept in? Never.

We have the right to be pulled out of our homes even when we’re too stubborn or too poor to leave. We know we will be miserable for weeks but we have the right to clean water, food and shelter. We have the right to fuss at our mayors when they make post-storm decisions we don’t like. We have the right to try and sneak past the National Guard whenever we can so we can see if we still have a home or to check on a neighbor. We have the right to guard our homes and businesses against looters, and to become looters to feed and clothe ourselves and our families when there is no help.

At least, we did until a few days ago.

My father lives in Gautier, a few miles east of Biloxi. It was damaged pretty badly but not as bad as other places. Even with roads open into town, there was no water or food or help sent to Gautier until Thursday. Until yesterday, I didn’t know whether Daddy was alive or dead because no organization or agency bothered to set up a system for tracking individuals after a disaster. No matter, citizens set up their own forums and resources before the storm surge had sulked back into the Gulf.

Storm rules were changed and I don’t understand why. Even people who do not live on the coast understood Katrina was going to be a bad one. They worked before and the low death tolls from most of the previous hurricanes prove the fact. The 1900 Galveston hurricane killed over 4000 people. No one knows what the final count will be this time, but it’ll surely be a close second at least.

I don’t want to consider a record-breaker; it’s too heartbreaking to think about. I think I’ll continue watching, reading, crying, pointing a finger toward Washington and with great conviction, say “Never again.”

Shame on you, Mr. President. The people you chose to take care of us are a direct reflection on your lack of human compassion and your inability to properly run this country. How stupid are you to put into place a system that thought it not wise to drop water and food down to the people while they waited for rescue?

Did you really think we’d watch your people preen on television while whole cities were suffering and dying and believe all was well? Do you now understand the American public is not comprised of idiots who can be swayed by a press conference?

I used to be a Republican. A liberal conservative, to be more precise. Now I don’t know what I am anymore except ashamed and very, very afraid.

Louisiana - Randy Newman

(Lyrics snipped from http://www.randynewman.com/ without permission as there is no contact info posted.)

Louisiana 1927

What has happened down here is the winds have changed
Clouds roll in from the north and it started to rain
Rained real hard and it rained for a real long time
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline

The river rose all day
The river rose all night
Some people got lost in the flood
Some people got away alright
The river have busted through clear down to Plaquemines
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline

Louisiana, Louisiana
They’re tyrin’ to wash us away
They’re tryin’ to wash us away
Louisiana, Louisiana
They’re tryin’ to wash us away
They’re tryin’ to wash us away

President Coolidge came down in a railroad train
With a little fat man with a note-pad in his hand
The President say, “Little fat man isn’t it a shame what the river has done
To this poor crackers land.”

Louisiana, Louisiana
They’re tryin’ to wash us away
They’re tryin’ to wash us away
Louisiana, Louisiana
They’re tryin’ to wash us away
They’re tryin’ to wash us away
They’re tryin’ to wash us away
They’re tryin’ to wash us away

Is it just me or...

… does anyone else find it odd that attorneys were allowed into the Astrodome before the National Guard was allowed into New Orleans?

Children of the Storm

Refugee: (n) One who flees in search of refuge.

People are emailing news channels asking them to stop calling Gulf Coast residents refugees. Thing is, that’s exactly what they are.

Does the term “refugee” make people uncomfortable because they consider it inappropriate or because it forces them to really understand a chunk of the United States as large as Kansas has been blown away? Would it soothe their nerves if we called them Displaced Americans or Children of the Storm ?

As soon as my father is found, I’ll ask him what he wants to be called and let you know.

Copy of WWL Interview with New Orleans Mayor Nagin

New Orleans Mayor's Interview with WWL Radio  (mp3 – 3 megs)

New Orleans Mayor Tells It Like It Is on WWL Radio

I woke this morning to the sound of New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin's pain and anger and thought CNN was interviewing another poor, tired, hot, thirsty, hungry soul waiting for rescue but it was actually Nagin talking with WWL Radio.

He’s angry, just like the people of the Gulf Coast, just like those of us waiting on the outside for word—good or bad—about our family and friends.

I sent an email to the radio station thanking them for letting the mayor rant and asking for a transcript of the entire interview. If they send it I’ll post it here so folks can see exactly what he said rather than a watered-down version that’ll be televised.
Nagin is the Finest of the government officials to speak about the Gulf Coast tragedy and I applaud him. I am sick and tired of press conferences where non-locals in clean clothes brag about how organized "their" rescue is.  

My 76-yr old father is lost in Mississippi and because Nagin had the guts and integrity to speak his mind my father might get help a little sooner.

Thanks, Mayor.

Edit: An Atypical Life has a mirror copy of Nagin’s interview.  

Katrina - Gautier, MS Missing Person Database

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gautiermissingpersons/

This is a Yahoo group specifically for missing persons in the Gautier, Mississippi area.

Still no word from my father.. Still praying hard.

Katrina: Breaking News from the Times Picayune

http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/

Hurricane Katrina Missing Person's Database

http://www.bergedalen.com/katrina/survived.aspx

Info for Evacuees in Panama City or Walton County

By Christopher Mitchell (cmitchell@wmbb.com)
News 13 On Your Side
Wednesday, August 31, 2005

If you've evacuated from the hurricane and are now in Walton County, here is some critical information (provided by the Walton County American Red Cross) you'll need to get you through the coming weeks:
Free Emergency Shelter: The American Red Cross in Walton County (850-892-6297) has opened a host shelter in DeFuniak Springs for up to 300 evacuees. It's located on Highway 83 in Defuniak Springs. To get there, take Highway 331 north (from either I-10 or from Highway 98 or Highway 20) until it dead-ends into Highway 90 in DeFuniak Springs. Turn right on Highway 90 towards downtown. Take left onto highway 83, and go a few hundred yards. You will see the National Guard Armory on your left, behind the county's health department. Food, cots, showers provided.
Medical Help on a Budget: The DeFuniak Springs (DFS) Walk-In Clinic (9 West Orange Avenue, Defuniak Springs - 850-951-1800) is offering inexpensive ($20.00) office visits for evacuees that need medical help. They are open Monday through Friday, 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., and Saturdays 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Missing Family Members: Call the National Missing Persons Hotline at 866-438-4636. The hotline operators may be of help in locating missing relatives in the hurricane-afflicted areas.
Missing Military Personnel: Call 800-448-1294 if you have a missing loved-one in the military working in the hurricane-afflicted areas.
FEMA: 800-621-3362
Other Needs (ie: space for RV's, tents, etc.): A radio station called "County Station 98.7" is working to gather information from panhandle residents on what they can offer you in the way of places to park your recreational vehicle, ect. Call them at 850-969-9300 to see what someone can do for you when there's no where else to turn.
Donations Hotline: 800-495-7663
Please know that our hearts are with you during this very difficult time, and WMBB-TV is "on your side." We will do everything possible to provide you with important information on our nightly broadcasts at 5:00, 6:00 and 10:00. We also have a morning show which begins at 5:00 a.m. and lasts until 7:00 a.m. Please stay tuned to WMBB-TV (ABC) during these times. Our newsroom hotline number is 850-763-6000. -Christopher Mitchell, Walton County Bureau Reporter for WMBB

Local Relief Points

• Pocket Change in the Panama City Mall is opening their Balloon Room for Free to children who have evacuated here from the storm.  Local residents can admit their children for a donation.-


• To donate to the American Red Cross, call 1-800 HELP NOW or drop off donations at 430 E 15th St. Panama City 32405


• Salvation Army is taking cash donations and canned goods drop off at 1824 W 15th St. Panama City or mail to P.O. Box 540, Panama City, 32402


• American Red Cross has opened a shelter at the Washington Co. Ag Center - 1424 Jackson Ave. (Hwy 90 West) in Chipley


• BankTrust is collecting cash donations and bedding.  Drop off at 2315 Hwy 77 in Lynn Haven, next to the Post Office.


• Free meals for evacuees, tomorrow 5:30 - 7:30pm, Grace Episcopal Church, Back Beach Rd.


• Bay & Mosley High Schools collecting cash donations - bring to Bay/Mosley football game, Friday 7:00pm, Tommy Oliver Stadium


• Free meals for evacuees, Thurs - Sat, Woodlawn Methodist, 219 Alf Coleman Rd. (bring ID)


• Free picnic lunch for evacuees with children - Thursday, 11:00am - 2:00pm, Junior Museum of Bay County, 1731 Jenks Avenue, Panama City

Live Updates from New Orleans - Katrina

From http://www.wwltv.com/:

****ALL RESIDENTS ON THE EAST BANK OF ORLEANS AND JEFFERSON REMAINING IN THE METRO AREA ARE BEING TOLD TO EVACUATE AS EFFORTS TO SANDBAG THE LEVEE BREAK HAVE ENDED. THE PUMPS IN THAT AREA ARE EXPECTED TO FAIL SOON AND 9 FEET OF WATER IS EXPECTED IN THE ENTIRE EAST BANK. WITHIN THE NEXT 12-15 HOURS****

Jeff Parish President. Residents will probably be allowed back in town in a week, with identification only, but only to get essentials and clothing. You will then be asked to leave and not come back for one month.




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Source: live news feed at http://www.wwltv.com

Small boats and jetskis needed to help with the rescue.

Unconfirmed riot at the N.O. prison with a possible hostage.

6:41 P.M. - Efforts to stop the levee break at the 17th Street Canal have ended unsuccessfully and the water is expected to soon overwhelm the pumps in that area, allowing water to pour into the east bank of Metairie and Orleans to an expected height of 12-15 feet.

Residents have brought out their own boats to help with the rescue.

Bodies are being tied to poles.. “there is no place to put these people.”

Katrina - New Orleans, hurricane blog updates constantly

http://www.wwltv.com/local/stories/WWLBLOG.ac3fcea.html

This blog from a New Orleans tv station updates almost every minute.