Some years ago, Carroll and I and daughter Anna and her husband Carey spent a weekend in New Orleans. Daughter Jennie housesat for us while we stayed in a B&B in the French Quarter. About 9AM on Sunday, I went in search of a phone (our B&B was without one) to call Jennie and check in, wish her well and like that.
The only phone I could find was outside of a small corner bar, a pay phone. As I was speaking with Jen, I looked into the bar and saw, looking back at me, about two dozen bearded leather boys. I looked away and saw their motorcycles parked along the sidewalk.
Uh-oh. I am not a brave man. I ended the call and beat feet back to the safety of the rental.
I guess we'll know in the next day or so what the result will be as Hurricane Katrina comes ashore along the US Gulf Coast. It may or may not hit New Orleans. But if it does, as a Force 4 storm, it could be disasterous.
Norlinz is entirely below sea level, with the Mississippi on one side and Lake Ponchartrain on the other. If these two bodies of water meet, it could be all over. A FEMA study of the results of a F4 storm on the city done a few years ago spoke of the city being flooded under thirty feet of water, with rampant chemical and oil spills and disease and as many as 100,000 dead.
I always enjoyed our trips to New Orleans, less as the city has become rougher over the years, but I wish the city well with Katrina. I wouldn't mind one more authentic muffaletta...
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