Head Games
In my head the houses across from the seminary are still there and not burnt to the ground.
In my head the Ninth Ward dives are still waiting for me when Addy's old enough for a sitter.
In my head the hospital where I had Addy still has a roof and is not flooded.
In my head the sun still pours through the windows of our house and Michelob barks next door.
Our plans are still uncertain but we are settling into the hotel. The cats are happy to be the only animals around and last night Thibodaux slept at Addy's head. I think that she was worried about Addy being cold since The Husband insists on keeping the room around thirty-three degrees.
The husband will probably have to head back to the city within the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately criminals are being detained rather than shot on sight which would be more efficient.
As I watch the news I see that New Orleans' dirty little secret is out and that is the amount of poverty in the city and the lack of resources provided to people. What has happened is such a huge sociological experiment - to take a city and disperse its residents around the country. Who will come back? Who will make new lives for themselves and end the vicious cycle of poverty and crime that plagues so many New Orleans' youth? I hope that someone is taking notes.
Finally, someone asked me the other day what I thought about the proposals to not rebuild the city. After recovering from what felt like a punch in the stomach, I gave a bland answer about how there's plenty of New Orleans still there and in good shape. After chewing on the question later, I thought about the city as my home. We've been there for five years. We bought our first house there and our child was born in that city. I had romantic notions of going with The Husband blocks from our home to the levee one day and introducing Addy to the Mississippi. I've always said that I would one day like to move but maybe being part of the restoration will make me more invested. I am hopeful that good will come of this and that the city will be able to start over to some degree now that it has received so much national attention. New Orleans is my home and as long as there are still some Oaks standing, I will find beauty there.
In my head the Ninth Ward dives are still waiting for me when Addy's old enough for a sitter.
In my head the hospital where I had Addy still has a roof and is not flooded.
In my head the sun still pours through the windows of our house and Michelob barks next door.
Our plans are still uncertain but we are settling into the hotel. The cats are happy to be the only animals around and last night Thibodaux slept at Addy's head. I think that she was worried about Addy being cold since The Husband insists on keeping the room around thirty-three degrees.
The husband will probably have to head back to the city within the next couple of weeks. Unfortunately criminals are being detained rather than shot on sight which would be more efficient.
As I watch the news I see that New Orleans' dirty little secret is out and that is the amount of poverty in the city and the lack of resources provided to people. What has happened is such a huge sociological experiment - to take a city and disperse its residents around the country. Who will come back? Who will make new lives for themselves and end the vicious cycle of poverty and crime that plagues so many New Orleans' youth? I hope that someone is taking notes.
Finally, someone asked me the other day what I thought about the proposals to not rebuild the city. After recovering from what felt like a punch in the stomach, I gave a bland answer about how there's plenty of New Orleans still there and in good shape. After chewing on the question later, I thought about the city as my home. We've been there for five years. We bought our first house there and our child was born in that city. I had romantic notions of going with The Husband blocks from our home to the levee one day and introducing Addy to the Mississippi. I've always said that I would one day like to move but maybe being part of the restoration will make me more invested. I am hopeful that good will come of this and that the city will be able to start over to some degree now that it has received so much national attention. New Orleans is my home and as long as there are still some Oaks standing, I will find beauty there.
3 Comments:
That was a beautiful post.
Hey Lady....give me a call when you get a chance...I still cant get thru to your's or Greg's cell phones...or you can email me...I am here at Josh's and will be here for a few days or weeks or who the hell knows. Call me when you get a moment. Tell Greg & Laidy I send hugs.
xoxox Tex
Amen.
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