What do you see?
You see two white concrete dogs, probably German Shepherds. I see much more. They now pose behind a fairly new wrought iron fence and in front of an empty lot. Based on the size of the lot, the house that once stood here must have been quite elegant, perhaps a grand antebellum home. On a day in August, 2005 the bay these dogs face rose up and obliterated the road at their feet, washed over them and erased the house they silently guarded, forever changing the lives of the owners. No attempt to rebuild the home has been made. We can only guess why. Will this home be rebuilt or will this lot pass to heirs as unimproved? We have seen a couple of houses now being gutted in preparation of a rebuild. We have also seen a restaurant and a marina being built. So, after all these years, some attempts are being made to return to a normal life. I remember what was used to be here and I clearly see what is no longer here. And it has touched me in a way I cannot put into words. I am deeply sorry for the pain and horrors these people have known. I wish I could change it. I admire their spirit and determination. We had heard at the time of the hurricane that Waveland was the hardest hit. Indeed it was. It was directly east of the eye of the storm which I believe they finally decided was at Slidell, only 20 miles from here. You never want to be located east of the eye. These brave people had no choice. I will never forget what I have seen and I hope on a return trip that things are looking better.
Now we pack up and head to Breaux Bridge. We stayed put yesterday due to rain and wind. The sun is shining today.
No comments:
Post a Comment