A hurricane was on it’s way to the Gulf. Big deal, right? Not really. To the Gulf Coast, a hurricane was as normal and natural as snow is to Alaska. My entire life was centered around summer time hurricanes. They were often, in a sense, a welcomed relief from the heat and humidity that Louisiana is famous for. As a child, a hurricane meant days off from school, windy cooler days and a bit of excitement in a small town. My generation had never witnessed a true hit from a storm so we had no idea what we were in for. We all heard stories about Camille and Betsy from our parents and grandparents. But who didn’t imagine that their stories were exaggerated and that we were tougher. How many of us attended Hurricane Parties? Most I am sure. Hanging out with friends in the cooler weather, a stiff breeze blowing- foreign to Louisiana residents. Gathering supplies such as plywood to cover the windows in case of flying objects, flashlights and extra batteries since you almost always misplaced the ones you purchased the previous year. Gallons of water. Gassing up vehicles in LONG lines, always a favorite. Ice for the coolers in case we were without electricity for a day or so, and usually beer for those coolers. Along with the beer came party supplies. Maybe a crawfish boil. It somehow became a time for friends and family to get together, discuss the impending storm and opinions on where it would hit. To drink, eat, live, love and laugh with friends. The wind began days before the storms would make landfall and the rain was almost a last minute event. Because of this, it made evacuation a far away thought. St. Bernard was a lower to middle class area of Louisiana. Frankly, evacuating is expensive. If you got up and ran from every storm that looked our way, you wouldn’t make it through the summer. Aside from having to go to work, most people, IF they evacuated, chose to do so a day or hours before the storm would hit. My employer required proof of evacuation if we left before they decided to shut down. A motel receipt, an out of state gas station receipt-something that proved you were in deed NOT in Louisiana. Sounds horrible doesn’t it? In a place where hurricanes are some what normal, employers have to take control of these situations. Otherwise, everyone would leave, claiming evacuation. On their behalf, the number of employees that claimed they had to leave to evacuate went from approximately 50, down to 2 after it was made clear that they would need to provide proof. Seems as though their point was made and in fact, correct. They had a business to run. It was a furniture store and frankly, I don’t remember anyone coming in to purchase new furniture but, it was their decision and if you wanted your job when it was all over, you had to respect their authority on this subject. The Friday before the storm hit, August 26, the store was shut down, all employees sent home. Long weekend. We thought we’d be back by Tuesday.