Being a refugee is kind of boring, although I'd be the first to admit that it knocks being stranded in a disaster area into a cocked hat. There's not much to do but wait; wait to find out if your house still stands, wait to find out when you can return to New Orleans.
By sheer coincidence, I scheduled a block of vacation from work about six weeks prior to the hurricane. It started on August 31, (also) coincidentally the day I arrived here in Tennessee after my desperate drive through the mostly unpowered southern states. It ends at 00:00 this Friday, at which point I'll be going back to work (from here of course).
Most of my time spent here so far has consisted of little else other than sleeping, drinking beer, smoking cigarettes, and waiting, always waiting, for news of my home. I've been trying to call Noah's Wish, so that they might try to break into my apartment (if it still stands) and rescue Pepper and Jena. Their website has been heavily overloaded recently, though that is understandable. I've also been trying to call the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine,, who are also handling pet rescues in disaster areas, but I've had nothing but busy signals when calling and no replies to my email inquiries to them.
My grandmother, herself sensitive to the humanitarian disaster occuring in my home town, gave me a cheque for $1,000 yesterday. I'm going to use it to buy a laptop so I don't have to keep bogarting my mom's k-rad eMachines desktop box, which I am doing right now to write this entry.
Just to kill time today, I ran a few errands. I paid my parents' cable bill (which was 55 days delinquint and about to be shut off — couldn't have that, 'cos then I'd have no internet access. I got a haircut, too, as the start of my new hair project — shaved to the skin on the back and sides and twisted into short dreads on top. I took my car to a Texaco/Havoline station and had an oil/filter change, which I got $10 off the regular price for because I'm a refugee. I bought some books to read while I'm here to kill time — Fingersmith by Sarah Waters and Perdido Street Station by China Miville, which I'd heard good things about but hadn't read yet. I got my phone's access code problem solved during a quick trip to the Sprint PCS store next to Barnes & Noble (where I got the books). I also stopped at "Smokes & Brews" on Mallory Lane to replenish my supply of ale (Bass & C Pale Ale) and cigarettes (Djarum Cherry).
My long-distance girlfriend Molly will be arriving here via Greyhound Bus on Friday afternoon, so there's something to look forward to.
Beyond that, all the future portents from this angle at this point in time is nothingness; no info, no estimates, no status reports. It's maddening. But I think the shock is wearing off, a little. One reader in particular, after reading my appraisal of the hurricane situation in New Orleans suggested that I might actually be in shock, like how people get after car accidents, when they're conscious but not altogether one with reality. That's definitely how I felt, and still feel, but at least it's lessening, now.
Tonight, I'm going to eat Vietnamese cuisine at a new restaurant here in Nashville with some local friends, Julia and her hubby Scott. I hope the Vietnamese can cater to vegans to some tolerable degree.
I still feel all rambly, though, so I think I'm gonna go smoke and read.
By sheer coincidence, I scheduled a block of vacation from work about six weeks prior to the hurricane. It started on August 31, (also) coincidentally the day I arrived here in Tennessee after my desperate drive through the mostly unpowered southern states. It ends at 00:00 this Friday, at which point I'll be going back to work (from here of course).
Most of my time spent here so far has consisted of little else other than sleeping, drinking beer, smoking cigarettes, and waiting, always waiting, for news of my home. I've been trying to call Noah's Wish, so that they might try to break into my apartment (if it still stands) and rescue Pepper and Jena. Their website has been heavily overloaded recently, though that is understandable. I've also been trying to call the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine,, who are also handling pet rescues in disaster areas, but I've had nothing but busy signals when calling and no replies to my email inquiries to them.
My grandmother, herself sensitive to the humanitarian disaster occuring in my home town, gave me a cheque for $1,000 yesterday. I'm going to use it to buy a laptop so I don't have to keep bogarting my mom's k-rad eMachines desktop box, which I am doing right now to write this entry.
Just to kill time today, I ran a few errands. I paid my parents' cable bill (which was 55 days delinquint and about to be shut off — couldn't have that, 'cos then I'd have no internet access. I got a haircut, too, as the start of my new hair project — shaved to the skin on the back and sides and twisted into short dreads on top. I took my car to a Texaco/Havoline station and had an oil/filter change, which I got $10 off the regular price for because I'm a refugee. I bought some books to read while I'm here to kill time — Fingersmith by Sarah Waters and Perdido Street Station by China Miville, which I'd heard good things about but hadn't read yet. I got my phone's access code problem solved during a quick trip to the Sprint PCS store next to Barnes & Noble (where I got the books). I also stopped at "Smokes & Brews" on Mallory Lane to replenish my supply of ale (Bass & C Pale Ale) and cigarettes (Djarum Cherry).
My long-distance girlfriend Molly will be arriving here via Greyhound Bus on Friday afternoon, so there's something to look forward to.
Beyond that, all the future portents from this angle at this point in time is nothingness; no info, no estimates, no status reports. It's maddening. But I think the shock is wearing off, a little. One reader in particular, after reading my appraisal of the hurricane situation in New Orleans suggested that I might actually be in shock, like how people get after car accidents, when they're conscious but not altogether one with reality. That's definitely how I felt, and still feel, but at least it's lessening, now.
Tonight, I'm going to eat Vietnamese cuisine at a new restaurant here in Nashville with some local friends, Julia and her hubby Scott. I hope the Vietnamese can cater to vegans to some tolerable degree.
I still feel all rambly, though, so I think I'm gonna go smoke and read.
VIEW 5 of 5 COMMENTS
I send you the best well wishes I can
summon.
I have fanily in Tenn...
up between the two Rivers.
If i can get them to help you out,
I will.
You.ve a great spirit in you, it's obvious.
Stay strong
~gatsby