I'm special.

[toasty]

Not really, but this will be long so just press the back button and move along.


I remember it as if it was yesterday. It's been almost three years but the evidence is still there. Every time I walk out the front door I'm reminded of what happened. As I reminisce I can recall sitting around the kitchen table with my family as the first deaths were reported. Eleven or so people in Florida got the brute force of God's axe stuck in them and then God decided to break it off - leaving them for the vulchers.

Hurricane Katrina was only a Cat1 storm then. I was pretty surprised that there were any deaths at all! Neither I nor my family were very concerned about it. Sitting at the kitchen table, I recall saying something about wanting it to become a Cat5 and hoping it hits Biloxi directly. When it comes to mother nature, I share the same view as George Carlin, "I'm here for the ride". My mother looked at me as if I was nuts.. but I love doing that to her. I remember this day quite well. The Weather Channel's projected path was near us but givin' how these things are usually wrong not many people paid much attention. The next day, however, was totally different.

I remember waking up that morning and turning on the tv. As I was standing there in my boxers and with crust still in my eyes, I was in shock at what I saw.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HAS NOW DECLARED HURRICANE KATRINA A DEADLY CAT5 STORM HEADING STRAIGHT IN OUR DIRECTION.

Finally, my wish had come true. Yes, call me a selfish asshole - but the sheer excitement had me almost at orgasmic level. You see, I had already rode out many hurricanes during the last few years. While mostly everyone else evacuates, including my family, I stay and enjoy it. Just knowing you have absolutely no control in a situation such as that is exhilarating and I yearn for it all the time. When you're putting your life at risk, it creates a high all on it own that's better than most drugs.. or perhaps I'm just crazy and suicidal, I don't know, but that's the reason I do it. Besides, what's the use of living when you don't challenge death? When you do make it, and live to see another day, you reflect on what life really means to you and life seems more beautiful, I think, and you tend to respect it more.

After hearing the news, I rush to my brother-n-laws house to warn my sister to take her kids and leave. I get there at around 9am, but since it's Sunday I knew they wouldn't wake up 'til around noon, even if someone IS pounding on the door. So, I go to their bedroom window, beat the fucker until it almost breaks and tell them to open the God-damn door. She complies and lets me in.

"What's the matter?", she asked

I told her to turn on the Weather Channel. She does, and by this time her husband comes in and watches also. Their faces expressed fear, and my bro-n-law is now debating on whether to evacuate or not. I believe at this point it was mandatory! I try and talk him into staying and riding it out with me, but with him having kids he thought it would be best to evacuate and stay with them. I called him a pussy, and then he tried his darnedest to talk me out of staying. I told him NO, that I was dead-set on staying. He tells me, "I don't think you want to do that. This will be huge, unlike the others. Come have breakfast with us and let's talk it over". I agreed and we go to the local restaurant.

At this point, we're all sitting down enjoying some nice bacon, eggs with toast. My brother-n-law knows my weaknesses and says,

I think the best thing to do is to load up both mine and your car, let my wife and kids take ours, I'll drive yours and we both can smoke weed, listen to good tunes and ride with the t-tops off until we get to somewhere safer. It sounded tempting, especially since I love riding in my car high while looking out the top and having the wind blowing in my face. And if he was driving for what probably would've been quite a few hours, it would've been pretty relaxing. I agreed.

My sister, on the other hand, didn't. While still suffering from a hangover from the night before, she didn't feel like driving at all and said,

"Well, if that's the case just take the kids yourself and I'll stay." My bro-n-law looked sad because I think he knew how stubborn both me and my sister really are. He also knew right then and there that someone was staying. He looked at my sister and said, "Honey, please! Do you want your brother to die? This is the only way he'll go!". She says nothing. He then looks at me and asks the same question,

"Do you want your sister to die?"

Doesn't matter to me, I said, jokingly.

I believe we all knew right then that I was staying behind. When it comes to a choice between your wife and brother-n-law, most people pick their wives. So we all just sat down and enjoyed what would be our last decent meal together in Biloxi.

Pt.2 coming up shortly.

[moldyorangepeel]

cool good story so far, keep it up.

[spicoli]

Fo sho...I love storms too. Never been in a hurricane, let alone a cat5...I guess that more than just a storm. You one brave mf.

[spicoli]

Originally Posted by moldyorangepeel

cool good story so far, keep it up.

Weird. I thought of you and yahooka when I had to throw away a moldy orange today.

[Prophet Saddam]

When can we expect more of this story?

I'm really fascinated by it so far.



Thanks for sharing...

[DeafTones]

I'm interested to hear part II.

[toasty]

I'll write part 2 either tonight or tomorrow. Sorry for the delay, but I had to go out of town for awhile. I'll also share pictures and stuff.

[turmaline]

I hope it is a happy ending!

For the family's sake!

[moldyorangepeel]

geez toasty why don't you fill us in on what happened? You're leaving us hanging here.

[Prophet Saddam]

I.want.to.know.

[Swisha]

We want to know I hate CLIFFHANGERS!

[B.]

Good story so far! Looking forward to Part deux...

I vaguely remember when the UK caught the tail end of a hurricane back in the '80's. That was pretty nuts so I can't imagine what Katrina must've been like!

One of my all time top 10 things to do before I die is to go chasing/photographing tornadoes! Those things are truly fascinating!

I can imagine peoples faces when I tell 'em I'm off on holiday to America!

"Where you going... Florida/New York?"


"Err no, Oklahoma actually!"

[spicoli]

toasty kinda dropped off the face of yahooka.
i wanna know wtf happened.