Don't Beat Me, Ike

Call me whatever you like, but I am soooooo over Ike. I am truly over people who still have their homes bitching and griping about the lack of power. I am truly done with folks who even before the storm could not master the art of the 4-way stop. If one more person asks me if I have lights, need ice or water, or know where they can get gas I think I will implode.

Folks, we had ample warning even if the all-knowing magicians we call weathermen did not know exactly where the eye would hit. You had plenty of time to stock up on batteries, booze, water, food. You should know to fill your bathtub and every other available vessel that would hold water. Hell, even the emergency signage along the highway reminded you to keep your gas tanks full. It’s HURRICANE SEASON and we live on the Gulf Coast – what do you expect?!?!?!

We bad-mouthed “those” people from New Orleans 4 years ago, but we have yet to bad-mouth each other. We are quick to blame the government because the PODS with the MREs were slow to be set-up. Nevermind the street flooding, the downed power lines or the downed trees – folks need their free ice/water/MREs. I swear if the Mayor came on the radio/tv or however you are receiving your news at this point and said the government was handing out free bags of dogshit, ya’ll would line up for that too – just because it’s FREE.

I am over my survivor’s guilt. I don’t have power, but my roof is in tact. I have a downed fence, but it was old and needed to be repaired. I don’t have gas cooking, but I do have hot water. So unlike my best friend who has a hole in her ceiling and a co-worker who’s home flooded AND the roof caved in, I’m in a pretty good situation.

Folks need to stop bemoaning the lack of power and think of helping your neighbors who can’t afford to pay $400 - $800 to have those trees cut that feel in their yards. Thank the grocery workers, hospital workers, first responders, bus drivers, hell even the mall workers that are able to provide you with some semblance of normalcy. Yeah, you’re lights will be back on and you’ll be back to bitching about that high-ass light bill when Reliant sends you your part of the clean-up.

So, I’m done.