September 12, 2005
Katrina and Me
I've been putting off dlogging about Katrina for the same reason that I avoid a mean pitbull in the neighborhood: it just seems dangerous and disturbing. But I'm a Gulfcoast Florida Lab and can't duck the hurricane subject forever. Even Labs have to face hard realities sometimes.
Normally, we Labs love foul weather. Mike puts on his shiny, slick poncho thing, looking like a green phantom, and my tail can't help but wag. But hurricanes are different. Mike stiffens and sweats anxious smells. That's what happened when Hurricane Katrina was going through Florida. It think it's because of what happened last year, when hurricane winds sent our roof shingles slicing through the air into the yard and neighboodhood. Those shingles sure smelled funny, like beach sand stuck in tar.
Anyway, Mike got happier when it looked like Katrina wouldn't hit us. He didn't want to me to have the chance to smell our new shingles in the yard. But he got solemn when it looked like the storm might hit some place called New Orleans. I didn't know much about that place except, as Mike told me, it's not really so new and it's shaped kind of like my water bowl. Except it's supposed to be dry.
After it hit, Molly and Mike didn't seem too upset by the TV reports because the water bowl didn't fill up after Katrina went through. Then something happened. Water happened. I usually love water but I guess this wasn't the good kind. It was dark, dirty water and it filled the town like black, oily dread.
That's when I heard about the pets of New Orleans. The TV people were asking the people in the city why they didn't leave, and some said they didn't want to leave their pets. And they shouldn't have to!. Mike always said he and Molly weren't even allowed to leave me in the house alone if they have to leave when a hurricane hits. But sometimes people do it anyways because most storm shelters don't take pets. That made me sulk like a Blood Hound on the sofa for a while. It also made me watch the Katrina story harder. I didn't like what came next.
Normally, we Labs love foul weather. Mike puts on his shiny, slick poncho thing, looking like a green phantom, and my tail can't help but wag. But hurricanes are different. Mike stiffens and sweats anxious smells. That's what happened when Hurricane Katrina was going through Florida. It think it's because of what happened last year, when hurricane winds sent our roof shingles slicing through the air into the yard and neighboodhood. Those shingles sure smelled funny, like beach sand stuck in tar.
Anyway, Mike got happier when it looked like Katrina wouldn't hit us. He didn't want to me to have the chance to smell our new shingles in the yard. But he got solemn when it looked like the storm might hit some place called New Orleans. I didn't know much about that place except, as Mike told me, it's not really so new and it's shaped kind of like my water bowl. Except it's supposed to be dry.
After it hit, Molly and Mike didn't seem too upset by the TV reports because the water bowl didn't fill up after Katrina went through. Then something happened. Water happened. I usually love water but I guess this wasn't the good kind. It was dark, dirty water and it filled the town like black, oily dread.
That's when I heard about the pets of New Orleans. The TV people were asking the people in the city why they didn't leave, and some said they didn't want to leave their pets. And they shouldn't have to!. Mike always said he and Molly weren't even allowed to leave me in the house alone if they have to leave when a hurricane hits. But sometimes people do it anyways because most storm shelters don't take pets. That made me sulk like a Blood Hound on the sofa for a while. It also made me watch the Katrina story harder. I didn't like what came next.
