[blatz]

Yesterday I checked into a thread saying I was sticking it out. My friend lives above a neigborhood old mans bar in the 9th ward, a few blocks from the Mississippi, and we sealed the place, set up spots on the first and second floor, bottom for winds, top for floods, and sat back.

The three old guys, who'd been though Camille in the 1960's, were very drunk admitted they were scared, my ex-girlfriend, who I was staying with, was enjoying herself. I was pacing watching the news. It always weakens and turns at the last second...but this time it was stregnthening and staying true to the path. I couldn't swallow my beer. All my friends had already left, and I'd taken out the alternator of my car the other day.

At 10 PM, I had visions of the typhoons in Asia, and wrote a note and sealed it in my passport so my family and friends would know how I regretted not leaving town when my dead bloated corpse was found. I called my best friend, who offered me a ride out of town the night before, which I refused, telling him goodbye, I love you, I screwed up, I loved my life and my choices and had no regrets(till this last one).

I have never been so scared my entire life. Seriously. I was panicking. Amazingly, I found a friend still in town, also upset, and we took off, the last people in New Orleans to leave, at Midnight. The Highways were deserted. My ex-girlfriend wouldn't leave. She wasn't letting a hurricane chase her out of the home she loves. She could not be convinced. I left thinking she would die.

Overall the biggest night of my life...I felt like I been through a war. My current girlfriend's parents called me up, and told me their whole church in Georgia prayed for me. I have been anti religous my whole life, still am, but it was so touching I almost broke down. My girlfriend was in Australia, hysterical, because the last we talked, I told her, (she knows I'm stubborn) that like a true captain, I would go down with my ship. I love my city.

Plenty of rambling in this, but thought maybe this was interesting. Currently I'm at a public library in Lafayette, where we are homeless for now, as there are no hotel space anywhere. I think the city is not as bad as the worst reports. I put all my heart in wishing the best for those who remained, and I think all is well. The city is toast though, alot of people will not come back, I've been on the phone all day with friends, and that is a general vibe. I will return, and live there, as I looked at the map in the car and new there is no other city in the US for me. I was house shopping last week...I think I can get a better deal next week.

Yesterday, everyone I knew had jobs, possesions, money, houses, friends, hangouts...today nobody knows if they have anything. Really weird.

Anyway thanks for letting me unburden myself.

Jeff

(ps...in rereading this tears welled up in my eye thinking of the last 24 hours (I'm not a teary type)...I left so much out...I hope to never have another day like this in my life, and now I must fulfill the promises that I put in the note in my passport that were there in case I lived)