Monday - August 29, 2005

We sat huddled in our den watching television. The gravity of the situation becoming clearer and clearer... All I wanted was to go back one day and stop time and gather everyone and have the opportunity to walk out of our city the way I was able to walk out of my house... with my loved ones, holding hands and heading toward safety. I was absolutely polarized. You could not make a call, texting was spotty and proved very frustrating. Around Noon, I vividly remember all of us agreeing to turn off the television and we sat in silence staring at each other. All I kept thinking about is all of those I left behind... friends, clients and my family - my New Orleans family... the people who lived here, worked here... the people that made this city what she was. 

By late afternoon I was able to pull it together enough to put myself to work. I had a job, a company and had to figure out what the HELL  we were going to do now. I knew that some of our rescue groups in NOLA would need a home and having grown up in Ascension Parish and having a Dad that knows EVERYONE I knew we had to be ready to help anyone and everyone that we could. My Daddy started contacting everyone he knew with rental property. By about 2pm on the 29th you could not find an apartment to rent in Gonzales or Baton Rouge. They moved that fast... all of us that were displaced knew it was going to be a very long time before we would be able to go home.  It literally happened that quickly. Baton Rouge/Gonzales was New Orleans West.

The next few  days were spent working and trying desperately to find and help as many people as we could. Each night music filled the air and a large Daiquiri filled my belly! My parents moved from our home to give Mike and I, Derek and Rae plenty of room. The members of their congregation made sure that we had food and clothing and would offer to do anything they could for us. One of Derek's best friends and fellow musician,  joined us on day two and from that point forward everything changed again...  I will just say this... Having a Musician for a baby Brother has given me great joy and I have been blessed to know some of the best Jazz Musicians this city has to offer. The one that moved in with us is one I have always been especially close to. I can't tell his story because it is not mine to tell but I can say this... When you know in your heart of hearts that the worst possible outcome is likely the outcome it is so very painful. Not knowing was so hard. All I could think about was how scared someone must have been to be alone in a home while the city was filling up with water and what dying alone must have been like. His Father's was the first of many funerals that we would attend in the coming months.  That experience with him, living the pain of worry with him is something that I will never forget.

We were back in New Orleans five days later and from that point forward we were back almost every day. I spent countless hours at Lamar Dixon (located just three miles from our family home in Gonzales) with the LASPCA and rescue groups from across the state and finally the country. Mr. Bill and Ms. Mary Lee Dixion had no idea what they were getting themselves into when the offered Lamar Dixon for a rescue/shelter because I don't think anyone could have known just how AWFUL and painful things would become. 

We were lucky... We were able to get to our home on the 7th day. I was going to post photos but when I opened the photo file, I saw the first images of Lamar Dixon and my heart sank and I closed it as quickly as I opened it. I am not ready to see any of the images that we captured... Perhaps K20? By the time we arrived here most everyone that wanted to leave was gone.  We did not know that but, we could not get close to either the Superdome or the Convention Center. I remember driving down St. Charles Avenue and seeing the National Guard everywhere you turned. We were not supposed to be here and we were thankful that they let us move about the way they did. From the street everything looked fine... the fence was down but the house looked fine. Every window in place. From the moment I opened to front door I knew everything was not fine... but oddly I was not emotional at all. We walked slowly to the back. The floors and walls already molding... We went directly to the third floor and the moment I opened the door, I could see the sky. We lost the entire back roof. Everything was gone... We were so lucky! We only lost half of everything we owned. Water in... not up.  We grabbed some things and left knowing what we needed to prepare for. 

Day 8 - ... We were learning our new normal. Living in Gonzales, working at Lamar Dixion, standing in gas lines, working and putting NOLAPC back together. When we were here, we visited everyone that was open... we watched Football at Molly's in the Quarter almost every Sunday. We would always come with a trunk full of stuff and leave with an empty one. 

I had a plan to be back in the city as soon as I could and wanted to be ready to support my clients that I knew would be back too. It just so happened that my company had a corporate apartment in Elmwood and it was offered to me. I was back in Jefferson Parish in less than 30 days. New Orleans was a hell hole and I was so happy to be back in it. The company that I worked for was amazing to me... I was able to work where ever and when ever I wanted to... no questions asked. I hired a contractor from Gonzales and had a roof and rebuilt home by mid October. (Thank goodness my Dad knows everyone in Ascension Parish!) We were back here...I was so lucky and so blessed and I felt so guilty. We opened our home to anyone who needed a place to stay... 

Those of us that were back learned to live with, respect and appreciate the National Guard even when it was past curfew and we had to beg to get into the neighborhood. (Shout out to the Cajun Army from Lake Charles that was stationed near me!)  We listened for and celebrated the HUGE trucks that picked up debris, trash, refrigerators...We knew everyone that was home and watched out for each other. We made plans to eat at restaurants that were opening just to encourage them and offer appreciation. We all moved from house to house, helping each other... and one by one my little pet care company grew again. I could have never imagined what it would become. 

Slowly we were finding our way... 

I hate to say this but I am not in love with "the new New Orleans" at all. I am learning to adjust to it but I miss our New Orleans. The pre K New Orleans. I see the progress and the "new" things but I know what is missing and what the new replaced and frankly I would rather have that back... I miss our people the most.

With that, these ten years have given me much to be thankful for… new friends, clients and a team that helped me in my darkest days… I have been asked time and time again “why did you even bother” and to that I always say the same thing… because I was here before and I was not going to let that damn hurricane destroy what I created.  My silly little pet care company was coming back just like I was.

I love you New Orleans… and I am learning to love you more. I will not forget who you were and I am going to try to love who you are becoming.

Viva New Orleans!