Return to Normalcy

While I have quickly covered my time spent in New Orleans for Christmas vacation, I have not discussed what it was like to be back there after Katrina, a fact an anonymous commenter happily pointed out. I haven't been avoiding it specifically but I really didn't know what to say. Forgive the ensuing ramble.

We arrived just a few days before Christmas and had a lot to do so at first things seemed, dare I say, normal. I spent most of my time in Metairie and on the West Bank and those were areas there were relatively unscathed. I mean I saw a number of blue roofs, a FEMA trailer here and there, and a lot less trees but nothing that jumped out as devastation to me. My first glimpse was in a drive down Airline Highway and even then I was left wondering if what I was looking at was damaged before or after the hurricane. What hit me first I suppose was the amount of stuff everywhere in the areas that were returning to normal. Trash and debris and pieces of trees lying about everywhere all while cars zoomed past and people walked their dogs. The next thing to hit me was the lack of trees. I had noticed it early but it took a few days to sink in. Many views I was used to were very changed. The oak canopy over every street wasn't as filled in as it used to be. That depressed me more than I expected it to. But the big thing to hit me in those first days was the attitude of the people. Everywhere I went it was as if I was attending a funeral. Well, that's not quite right, more like attending a wake with your close family members. The two wakes I have attended for family members have been very odd affairs. Everyone is sad and yet putting on a pleasant face for those around them. It is in theory a very somber event but I remember laughing quite a good deal. Everywhere I went, everyone I encountered seemed like that. Their faces seemed to say, I might be laughing now but I could cry at any moment. And sometimes they did.