HI ((((wisewoman)))) thank you for your respone. Its very nice of you to answer me back.

As you being an inlander and me living along the coast, I personally dont find any where in this world safe from Mother Nature. Just look at all of the horrible tornados that went through last week. I dont know how to describe the feeling i had when i came back to my house the first time. I remember driving past Six Flaggs on 510 and the smell was atrocious. I had a gas mask so put that on, but it didnt help. It still smelled like i was buried in marsh mud. Riding through the parish just to get to my house and seeing everything demolished, it was heartbreaking. Evrything i knew to be home, St Bernard parish, was devastated. The military had cleared the middle of the streets on the highway. But neigborhood streets werent cleared. There were houses with cement slabs in the middle of streets that came from blocks away. Everything you could see had a gray look to it. There were no colors, just grayish color. My body was there, but my mind wasnt. I guess the only way to describe it. I gotta stop talkig about the first day. Im triggering myself here.

From what i saw and heard, people from all over the world came here to help right after. And have still been coming to help. We need people to continue coming down to help. We are mainly in the rebuilding stage now, but there is still alot that needs to be demo'd and hauled away.

I didnt have the money to flee. I had to use my credit cards to put gas in my truck. Then my truck was running hot, my gas tank cracked, my brakes went out. Evacuating killed my truck.

The class issue. I know a whole lot of people of all races who decided to stay. And all for different reasons. There were thousands that could have left and chose not to.

Where i worked prior to the storm was at my cousins dollar store. I managed it for him. We were family owned and family run. So our customer base was well known to us. Many had become friends. There are customers of ours there i've been seaching for since the storm. And i can't wait to that one day we meet in passing. It will be a revelry of the heart. It is everytime i see someone i havent seen since before the storm.

I do know that Amtrack Train company offered to take thousands out of the city. Mayor Nagin declined the offer. There were hundreds of school buses to take people out, they were never used. I know some areas of the city, it is very poor. We call those areas by the name of their housing development. Life Florida, St. Thomas, Desire, etc. There were families there that have lived there since their great grandparents. Some worked hard to get out and better themselves. But many knew no differnece. They ended up at the Superdome, becuase they didnt have cars to get out. And a mode of transportation to get out for them was denied by their mayor. I know the local and state government failed these people to get them out. Becuase of that, so many people were left stranded here. Thats when the federal govt failed. It took them way to long to get help in. The White House knew what was coming and they should have had troops in gear and ready jump in.

Thank you (((wisewoman)))). I can't believe you got me talkig about this. I get extremenly angry when govt talk on all levels comes up. You must have caught me at the right time.

love
chalmette