sometimes folks just need to talk . . .
Sep. 27th, 2008 07:22 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dindaWe went back to the Island yesterday so my sister and her kids could see what's left of their home and wait for the FEMA dude, and trust me he was a dude - board shaper from New Jersey of all places. She had already seen the photos so was at least well prepped of what to expect. I've been able to get back to my house a few times to retrieve some things but yesterday was all about listening.
As we began our tour of my sister's house, the neighbor from across the street came over and sat on the brick ledge planters in front of the house. He had been there 40 years and on the Island for at least another 25 and never saw anything like this storm. His home was left with nothing but a few studs holding up the roof and most of his contents strewn across his lawn and my sister's yard. The rest claimed by the bay.
Then the other neighbors walked over, their house did fine, already had power and water, but being from Tennessee, were a bit shell shocked to have weathered a hurricane in their first year on the Island. We all wanted to ask but waited until they told us that "the donkey is okay." Yip, they have a pet donkey they keep in their backyard and everyone was worried they had left him behind when they evacuated. Turns out some equine boarding place took him in, the donkey is actually living the high life in a barn so clean you can eat off the floor.
Everyone had a story, all had concerns, all were amazed at the amount of water that went through the Island. I had a list of things to get done yesterday afternoon and I did manage to get one or two done but mostly I just listened. These neighbors, my neighbor in Jamaica Beach, others down on 40th & Ave S, everyone I could tell just needed to talk. There would be plenty of time to continue the clean up, like today, but for one afternoon it felt right to just sit with the neighbors and listen. . .
As we began our tour of my sister's house, the neighbor from across the street came over and sat on the brick ledge planters in front of the house. He had been there 40 years and on the Island for at least another 25 and never saw anything like this storm. His home was left with nothing but a few studs holding up the roof and most of his contents strewn across his lawn and my sister's yard. The rest claimed by the bay.
Then the other neighbors walked over, their house did fine, already had power and water, but being from Tennessee, were a bit shell shocked to have weathered a hurricane in their first year on the Island. We all wanted to ask but waited until they told us that "the donkey is okay." Yip, they have a pet donkey they keep in their backyard and everyone was worried they had left him behind when they evacuated. Turns out some equine boarding place took him in, the donkey is actually living the high life in a barn so clean you can eat off the floor.
Everyone had a story, all had concerns, all were amazed at the amount of water that went through the Island. I had a list of things to get done yesterday afternoon and I did manage to get one or two done but mostly I just listened. These neighbors, my neighbor in Jamaica Beach, others down on 40th & Ave S, everyone I could tell just needed to talk. There would be plenty of time to continue the clean up, like today, but for one afternoon it felt right to just sit with the neighbors and listen. . .
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Date: 2008-09-27 04:30 pm (UTC)