Commentary Katrina Changed Lives Forever

   “Sorry we have no vacancies!” “No, we are booked up for the week.” “Try one of the places down the road.” “Star City or Pine Bluff may have some rooms.” Those are phrases used during the evacuation of Louisiana early last week.

   All of the motels and hotels remain booked solid as their business rises. With gas prices soaring, hotel rates are steadily in demand to rise, yet managers are overriding and discounting rooms like crazy just to help the cause.

   The sound resembles a newly scratched compact disc, reading the same line again, and again and again. The noise and wording is almost like watching repeats of Sportscenter that play consecutively five-to-six times without any major change in the information provided. Then just before the anger and madness sets in your body, you break out into a chill as if you were watching a scene from Pearl Harbor, The Green Mile or just something very dramatic on CNN.

Photo by Will Collins

What now? — Evacuees sit outside the Holiday Inn Express, awaiting word from lost family.

   All along, it is a man and two women who are staying at the local Holiday Inn Express, awaiting word from lost family who possibly did not make it out alive. The man paces back and forth until he feels that he has to let off steam to the nearby hotel staff that he cannot put together a trace or idea to where his grand children and great-grandchildren may be.

   He decided days prior to the tragic event that he had to leave. As his hand continues to lay back the grey hairs of his head, one would say he made the move of a man with wisdom. Seeing that life is far more important to him than a house, clothes, electronics or other replaceable items, it’s obvious that life itself is priority.

   He wonders why President George W. Bush is not moving fast enough on making decisions to help the cause. The idea of the media putting up lists of names connected to cities and states to help people locate loved ones is one far fetched.

   “They did if for 9/11, so why can’t they do it now? Hell, what do I know, I’m just a dummy,” said the man who wished he not be identified.

   With people scattered out all over Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Missouri and even Tennessee, people are hoping to hear from family who were victims of Hurricane Katrina.

   Although some may be discovered deceased, the ones alive must truly take account that every thing happens for a reason. Regardless of the reason, we cannot change the fact that millions of lives will be changed forever. 

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