Emotions from New Orleans

Dear Shelley,

It’s a God damn mess out here. Geez, I’m just frustrated, that’s all. I’m okay, I’m fine. I’m here in the Superdome, but the conditions are pathetic! There are too many people in here! Over 20,000 people are flushing the toilets and they’re starting to get backed up. The sewage systems are all ready broke – the smell is worse than rotten eggs – especially when the wind blows!

Look, I want you to know that I’m okay. I’ve been looking out for my neighbor, Josey and her baby, Adam. I really feel bad for her. She’s a single parent and the father hasn’t paid support in six months. She was just scraping by with that restaurant job. Her mom and I were helping her out, watching the baby and right now Josey doesn’t know where her mom is so it’s just us. I’m just glad I’m able to be here for her. It makes me feel good to help her out. You know, like there’s a reason why I’m here – for her. But, geez, Shelley, I’m frustrated to no end. A man’s supposed to be able to take care of woman, ya’ know?

The Superdome is hot, muggy, and we can’t go to the bathroom without every flush stinking up the place. The police were giving out rations until they ran out. The baby needs diapers and all of us need to take a bath.

What I don’t get is that the next day after the hurricane, where was everyone who was supposed to help? The police ran out of supplies! Where was the government? There was lawlessness in here. Heck, I went to the nearest WalMart with some of the guys who had babies and picked up diapers and formula, just to bring back for Josey’s baby. There was no one to pay so we just left. The babies needed the stuff, ya’ know?!

Finally the Red Cross showed up after two days. But, gosh, everything they had was gone in a day. It was tough for them to get supplies in. A family near Josey got sick. Some government agency named FEMA wouldn’t give doctors permission to come down and help us out, so the doctors came on their own. Thank God, they did! Come to find out, the sick family near us got dysentery. That was enough to scare the bigwigs. Finally the military came in and started evacuating people, but they only took the really sick.

I thought the Red Cross was bad – at least they wanted to help us. FEMA was ten times worse! The stench was so bad and they had us filling out paperwork about my average household income. Paperwork at time like this! Red Cross just handed out their credit cards – with FEMA, Josey and I had to fill out paperwork in triplicate and wait a day for the government credit cards. And what good do they do us when the entire city is being evacuated?

Look, I gotta’ wrap up this letter. The military is taking Josey, Adam, and I out. We’re going to Houston. Hopefully when we get there we can get a hotel room, a decent bath, and flush a real toilet. I’ll call you from there.

Love,
Your Brother