Maria, my wife, my two daughter's, Karen, age 2, and Sabrina, age 3, clung to
each other at the bus stop in New Orleans, desperately waiting! But no buses
came, no cars, as the hurricane winds tried to push us down the street. It was
all we could do, to hold onto the bolted down bus bench. Buildings were being
torn apart; belongings flew through the air like they were made of paper. By
now, the flood waters were waist high, as we held our children tightly.
                                                                                                                                   
Before we knew it, the lake water was rushing toward us. The water was brown,
filled with bodies of people and animals, pieces of houses, even cars, and to
me, I felt that death was beside us. The stench of death was choking my senses,
as we realized no help was coming. Then my hip was struck by something sharp,
and I cried out. I reached my hand down, and when I lifted it out of the water,
my shirt sleeve was soaked in blood. Sabrina was shivering in the rain, her
eyes filled with terror as she squeezed my neck so hard with her hands, I almost
couldn't breathe.
 
Those friends, neighbors and stranger's whose faces I could see were screaming,
crying out for help, but the roar of the storm drowned out their voices. I
watched in horror as the flood waters rose higher and higher. In moments, those
I had seen disappeared under the flood waters. Suddenly, an elderly neighbor,
Sally Ann surfaced a few feet from my hand, frantically gasping for air, for my
hand, as I looked into eyes of despair, before she went under the water again
and didn't come back up! Everyone called her "Granny", as the rains washed tears
from my cheeks.
 
It was if we were lost in the twilight zone! It seemed unreal what was happening.
I couldn't comprehend why no one came down my street before the waters came

to help get us to a safer place? My mind raced as I rationalized that... "We were
black, and poor. We were "expendable"! We had no job, no car, no credit cards!
Hell, we didn't even have a phone! I yelled and yelled to Maria, to tell her to
try to follow me to a near-by power pole as the flood waters rose even higher.
 
But the roar of the storm was deafening and she was looking away from me. I
could see Karen's tiny face and I will never forget the look on her face! How
could someone so small possibly understand what was happening? Suddenly a huge
wave struck us and we were all carried farther down the street. So much was under
water as our bodies bumped into objects we couldn't see. Our street looked like
a tremendous bomb had exploded!
 
My wife and daughter were no longer beside me. I could see them, just barely as
I tried to fight my way over to them, as I tried to keep Sabrina's head above the
water. At that moment, it felt like time had stopped and that everything was
happening in slow motion! I couldn't even tell where we were any more! Maria was
the first to grab onto a ten foot tall chain link fence near her. It was between
two businesses. She had a look of relief on her face when she turned to look for
us, and see me so close. An angel must have been beside me, to help me reach my
family!
 
I wrapped my arm around Maria, and kissed her and Karen as waves pushed against
us, trying to break our grip on the fence as it shook back and forth! Then I saw
a second story window, about 15 feet from the fence. When I yelled to Maria, she
had fear in her eyes, shaking her head "no"! But we both knew that death was
close, and that we couldn't hold onto the fence forever because the water was
still rising! Reluctantly, she nodded and I was the first to try to cling to the
building, and luckily, I was able to grab the window ledge, and push Sabrina
inside, before I climbed in too!                                                                                                                                 
I was hoping there might be something to use to help Maria grab onto, but there
was nothing. I stuck my head outside the window, facing the howling wind and
biting rain, and motioned Maria to let go! Over and over I waved my hand, but she
wouldn't let go of the fence! Finally she did let go, and was coming my way fast!
I swear I saw my arms grow to grasp her arm just in time, and I held her close to
the window. I grabbed Karen and lifted her inside and then held tighter to
Maria's arm. She was panicking, fighting me! I knew it wasn't her fault.
 
In a few moments, I had her half way thru the window, and as she relaxed as best
she could, I got her onto the floor. It was a four story office building and the
walls and roof were still in tact. For that, I was grateful! I had no idea how
much longer, or how much worse the storm would be before it would pass! We were
soaked to the skin, cold, shaking, and though I searched, I found nothing
clothing wise to warm us. Neither did I find any food or water.
 
Day after day we waited, hoping someone in a boat would come down the street in
search of survivors, but no one came! Not a soul! It was now day four and we were
in shock! How could a city..."our city" be destroyed? Thousands must have died, I
was sure! But where were the military, the emergency rescue people? Why had we been
abandoned? It was simply unthinkable! During those four days, we talked very
little. We just held our children, trying to comfort them, and each other. Trying
desperately not to give up hope!
                                                                                                             
I looked around and saw a large framed poster on one wall and got up and broke out
the glass, and returned to Maria. "If we see a rescue boat, I can wave it out the
window, so they can come get us"! She smiled back at me, and it looked like a half
smile, with her eyes filled with doubt, but she nodded. By the fifth day, as our
little girls slept, we talked. "Darling... we both know that no one is going to
come! It's been 5 days, 5 damn days! I am so sorry! You are my love, my life. You
have always believed in me, in spite of all that we have been through. I wanted
so much more for you and the girls". Maria looked down at Karen and Sabrina,
sleeping close to each other on the carpet floor, and she kissed me softly. Her
large brown eyes released tears as she whispered..."It's okay baby, it's not your
fault! We have each other, we have Karen and Sabrina. Only God knows how

many of our friends, neighbors and stranger's have died"?
 
Suddenly we heard the sound of a boat's motor, and excitedly, I ran to the window
with the framed poster. I stuck my head out and waved it frantically, at the boat
carrying four men. But when I saw all the computer equipment and the guns in their
hands, I realized they were looters, not rescuer's! They fired their guns and as
their bullets hit the poster, I ducked inside!!!!! I grabbed my family and we
retreated to an office in the back and locked the door. We huddled on the floor
together and prayed on our knees, they would pass our building.
 
We slept in that room that night and came our when it was morning. We had been
lucky! That afternoon, we heard the loud speaker of rescuer’s in their boat
calling out if anyone was alive! Cautiously, I peered out and saw the military
uniforms and yelled and waved! They waved back and pulled their boat close to
our window as we moved away from the window! A National Guard soldier

climbed inside and told me he was so glad to find someone still alive!He motioned

for us to come to him and get into their boat, but I shook my head "No"! There was
confusion in his voice as he asked me why? I told him we were grateful that
help had finally arrived....but that he had to continue to look for survivors!
I turned and kissed Maria, and hand in hand, we turned away as Sabrina looked
back over my shoulder into the soldier's eyes, and waved her tiny hand good-bye.
In that split second, he watched us disappear. We had died waiting, and were now
ghostly spirits, hoping that in the days to follow, he would find and save
many people.
 
© 2005 Raymond Cook (All rights reserved)

 

MADE ME CRY..... WhaT about you ????????