I snapped this photo one month later when returning to the city to get my belongings out of the house. The number in the top quadrant of the X represents the date of which the rescue team made an attempt to search September 11, The left quadrant number represents the team that searched, and in this case it was the Infantry of the Oregon National Guard. All of us that dwelled in our Dumaine Street home divided into 4 apartments evacuated, and hazards like rats, gas leaks etc, were not present.
Two days ago Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans with all her might. She was on a mission to take down a city that stood out of harms way long enough. Her raging winds and rains tormented the old town striking every district; some worse than others. In Hurricane Betsy had done the same but Katrina wanted to make up for lost time. So many folks native to New Orleans believed their city would never be hit again.
They watched every hurricane for the past 38 years brush by taking last minute turns demolishing the cities of neighboring states: Texas and Mississippi. But Katrina took no turns. No amount of Catholic or Voodoo prayers was going to stop Her. I write about this as if I have not been affected. My typical emotional detachment takes over while but grieve for those who could not leave.
And there were many. I left on Sunday morning around 3 AM; twelve hours before Mayor Nagin finally issued an evacuation alert. We were on Baronne Street shooting a driving scene with Michael Keaton and Brendan Frasier chit chatting away at their script while pretending to be at the wheel. It was somewhat comical to watch the two of them roll by in a car set up on a trailer. We had been working since 6 AM and once the evacuation alert came over the radio and TV waves we wrapped up by My friend, Autumn, and I rode back together in a van to a parking lot a few miles away.
We parted wishing each other well and assured each other to get out soon. I drove home and began packing and boarding up windows. I packed a medium sized duffle bag with some clothes and toiletries and put aside along with my clarinet, guitar, computer and cat stuff like the litter box, brush, bowls and food.
