Tuesday, July 03, 2007

Eccentrics In My Old Neighborhood


My old New Orleans neighborhood was full of eccentrics. I think NOLa attracts them, not that I am all that righted either but I returned early enough the ground was still wet from the flood. One of the neighbors who walked around with a old Schwegman's Grocery Cart was coming down my street. I asked her how she was doing and where she went for the storm. She said she stayed in her room. She rented a room in the back of a big old house. I asked what she did when it flooded she said nothing. So I asked where she was going. She said the Helicopters dropped food and water in a school yard so she was making her groceries. A few minutes later she rolled by and asked me if I wanted some MRE's and Water, her cart full. I said no because I was heading back out before dark as there was no electricity. She stopped in each day by me as I picked up the mess the storm left in my yard. Then she was gone. I haven't seen her since the first few weeks after the storm.
Bob was on CNN. I did not recognize him at first he was dressed in a Hospital Gown. He was released from Charity the morning of the storm and went to his sisters where he stayed sometimes. Of course she was evacuated but Bob had no idea what was going on. He just stayed on her raised front porch for the big events. He finally saw a helicopter drop stuff near the school so he waded over with a piece of wood and floated MRE's and water back to his front porch shelter. He said 3 days later the National Guard made him leave and he found himself in Texas still in his gown. He said it was hard getting back but he finally did and related his ordeal to me as I made repairs to my place. He moved to Mississippi.